Beneath The Surface
by Aniea
Summary: There had always been stories about the mysterious Lake of Avalon. Avoided for fear of death at the hands of the creatures that have dwelled there for centuries. Can Merlin keep his secrets while protecting both his family and the man to share his destiny? Especially when the man he is destined to protect is his biggest threat.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

 **This one is a bit different to my other stories - and yes, updates for those two will be coming in the next few days. This popped into my head and it hasn't left me alone since.**

Slipping out of Gaius's chambers and down the stairs that led to the rooms he shared with the physician, Merlin's footsteps were nothing more than whispers through the night. He glanced down the hallway looking for guards out of nothing more than sheer habit. He knew the guard patrol timings after so long in the castle, knowing that he could avoid them easily.

Slipping into an alcove as the usual patrol passed, muttering a quick spell of redirection to ensure he went unnoticed as the men made their way round the castle, he waited for them to round the corner just a he did each and every time he snuck out of the castle in this way.

After sneaking out of the castle, it was easy enough for him to distract the guards at the main gate, something he'd done many times before, slipping past them to make his way through the lower town. Even though it hadn't been long since the Great Bell had tolled and he'd settled Arthur in for the night, the town was already deserted and he quickly ran through the town and the woods towards his destination.

He couldn't stop the slight grin that formed on his face as he looked up through the trees, seeing the full moon slowly climbing in the sky. He picked up his pace, knowing that he could make it to his destination in an hour at the most. Having done this journey once a month – duties permitting – since he'd arrived in Camelot, he knew exactly where he needed to put his feet on his journey. There had only been a couple of times where he hadn't been able to make it and the times he couldn't make this journey, he felt sadness and longing inside his chest. He knew that the times he didn't make it couldn't be helped but it didn't stop the feeling from swelling inside him.

He continued his confident walk through the forest, ignoring the numerous sounds of the woods around him as he knew that there wasn't anything out there that could threaten him. Even if he came across bandits out here, they wouldn't be too much of a disturbance for him. He hadn't come across anyone on any of his trips out here. He knew that there was going to be a chance that he could come across someone at some point but he wasn't going to worry about it too much. The woods were generally dark and dense enough so that he wouldn't be recognised even if he was discovered.

He grinned as he came to the lake, seeing the tell-tale bubbles of what dwelled beneath rising to the surface as he neared. He sat down on the edge of the lake, pulling off his shoes and socks before stripping down completely. He stepped into the lake, feeling the cool water rush over his feet and ankles, closing his eyes as he walked into the lake, muttering lowly as the water reached his waist.

" _Álíese sé_ _hagorún."_ His voice was low, feeling the tell-tale tingling and warmth filling him as he spoke. He could hear the whispers on the surface of the lake as those that dwelled there came to greet him, having expected him this night. _"_ _Áwréon sé_ _sóþsegen gesceap."_

He breathed a sigh as he felt the spell take effect on him, feeling the warmth run down his spine, settling at his waist before moving down. He felt himself relaxing as he felt his legs begin to pulse, fusing together becoming one large powerful tail, made of pure muscle and more powerful than any human could ever imagine. He immediately dived under the surface of the lake, welcomed by the other merfolk that dwelled in the Lake of Avalon.

They greeted him as they always did, fanning around him, grins and hugs from various mermaids that he knew were sweet on him. He felt the tails of the others brushing against his own, many sensations transferred by nothing more than a simple touch.

They all quickly congregated in a small alcove that had them hidden from view, allowing them to lounge in the water as they bathed in the pool of bright moonlight. It was the place they could come on the rare occasions that the Knights of Camelot would investigate the great expanse of water they called their home. From here, sitting in the right places, they could watch the Knights and know that they wouldn't be seen themselves. The alcove was only accessible by water and even though there was a small dock with a boat on the shoreline for those brave enough to travel to the island in the centre of the lake, none of the Knights had ever braved the treacherous waters. None of them wanted to risk being caught in the spell of the merpeople that dwelled beneath the surface. Not that they couldn't be pulled in by the songs sung by those very creatures.

For some reason, they thought they were safe on the shoreline.

Merlin knew that it wouldn't take much for Uther to attempt to attack the lake and he didn't want to risk the lives of his family. Even though he was still young, as Emrys, they took his word as law in the lake and he had made it clear that the Knights of Camelot were not to be touched when they came near the lake. If Uther heard that any of his Knights had been lost to the waters, he knew an attack would be imminent. Not something he wanted to risk. They had understood his reasoning and though many of them had grumbled about it, none had challenged him or disobeyed in the years he had been in Camelot.

Of course, the bandits that often stayed close by – too close, if they knew what was good for them – were fair game and the way Merlin saw it, the more they lured into the lake, the less the Camelot patrols had to worry about. Of course, Uther thought that the decrease in bandits was due to his Knights strength and constantly boasted of the superiority of his knights but Merlin often allowed himself a small smile, all the while knowing that they had nothing to do with it.

As the alcove filled with the merfolk that lived in the lake, each settling into the various grooves and onto rocks around him, Merlin never felt more at peace than when he was here but he knew that with his duties in Camelot and his destiny and obligations to Arthur, he couldn't stay, no matter how much he wanted to.

"We do miss you, Merlin," he turned to see a young mermaid, Karina, smiling at him as she lounged on a rock nearby. "We do wish you would come back." With her fiery red hair and tail to match, Karina was incredibly beautiful and strong willed. Merlin knew that she liked him and had done for a long time but he had also made it clear that he wasn't interested in her that way.

Didn't stop her from flirting with him more often than not.

Merlin sighed, settling himself on his stomach on a rock, the golden scales of his own tail shimmering in the moonlight. He crossed his arms in front of him, resting his chin on his arms as others settled around him. "I want to stay," he admitted, looking at her and the others, "but I can't. I have too many responsibilities in Camelot and until I know that I can trust anyone other than Gaius with who I really am, I can't risk anyone else finding out."

"We understand, Merlin," he looked down in front of him to see that his mother had emerged from the water and was smiling up at him. She pulled herself up, wrapping her arms around him and he revelled in her touch, his tail twitching slightly as he hugged her back. "We just wish that you didn't have to spend so long away, is all."

"I wish I didn't either but at the moment, it can't be avoided." He sighed, settling back down as his mother rested her back against the rock he was currently laying on, using a protruding rock as a makeshift seat. He brushed his tail against her and she wrapped an arm around it, gently running her fingers across his fins, the movement soothing, reminding him of how she used to soothe him as a child.

He allowed himself to relax, listening to the stories the others were telling. None of them were as exciting as the life he led in Camelot but he tended not to share those, using his time at the lake to get away from the hectic life he led there. There was nothing as relaxing than being here, surrounded by his family, listening to them gossiping and swapping their stories.

He wished that he was able to come back during the day. In the summer, there was nothing more beautiful than the lake. The sun glistening off of the surface, creating beautiful colours, shimmering as the breeze caused gentle waves to appear. Most of the time, they would lounge in the sun on a rock, soaking up and revelling in the heat. On hot days, it wasn't uncommon to find the lake empty as all the merfolk could be found on the shorelines, sunning themselves. Unfortunately his duties in Camelot and to Arthur hadn't allowed him to do that for a long time.

All too soon, the sun began to rise and he knew that he had to be making his way back to Camelot. He slipped off the rock, leaving the others where they were. He knew that they didn't want him to go as much as he didn't want to leave but there wasn't anything else he could do. His mother accompanied him to the lake's edge as she always did, wrapping her arms around him before he moved towards the shore, muttering the spell that turned him human, feeling his tail splitting as he always did, his feet hitting the bottom of the lake as he walked out.

It didn't take him long to dress, quickly making his way back to Camelot, sneaking back into the castle before the others had even begun to stir. He quickly ran back to Gaius's chambers as the old man was waking, giving Merlin a sleepy smile as he walked back up to his rooms to change. Not being able to dry off properly, his clothes were slightly damp as he travelled back to Camelot. He changed quickly before heading down to the kitchens to grab Arthur's breakfast.

Despite not having slept the night before, the trip to the lake always made him feel more rejuvenated than even if he had had the best night's sleep. There was an ancient magic at the lake, one that Merlin's own magic tapped into without conscious thought from him himself. Before coming to Camelot, not having left the lake before, he hadn't noticed it was there. The connection to the lake that seemed to revitalise him whenever he went back.

Walking down to the kitchens, he managed to cut ahead of the other servants that were gathering breakfasts for their masters. Being the servant of the Crown Prince, the only ones that went ahead of him were the personal servants of the King. He loaded the tray with Arthur's breakfast, accepting the sweet bun that the cook gave him.

Moving around the kitchens was one of the only times he really showed the grace he held as he lifted the tray, manoeuvring around the others coming in the other direction. Slipping past the other servants, he placed the sweet bun on the tray, knowing that Arthur would enjoy it. It wasn't something that Merlin would eat himself and he didn't want it to go to waster. He quickly took one of the less used servant's routes that took him around the main passages, directly to the passage in the noble's wing that led to Arthur's chambers.

He balanced the tray on one arm, quietly opening Arthur's door, closing it behind him and quickly making his way across the room, placing the tray on the table before walking over to the curtains, yanking them open with force.

"Up you get!" He yelled, causing Arthur to moan and roll over, grabbing a goblet from his bedside table, hauling it at Merlin, who caught it with practised ease, placing it on the table as Arthur scowled at him. "Come on!"

Arthur groaned again, sitting up as his arms flopped in front of him, glaring at Merlin. "I should have you thrown into the stocks." He grumbled and Merlin chuckled.

"For waking you up?" Merlin questioned, raising an eyebrow at Arthur. "I think your father would do worse if I didn't."

"Probably." Arthur climbed out of bed, ambling over to the table to start on his breakfast as Merlin made his way over to the prince's wardrobe, pulling out various items of clothing for the prince to wear, placing them on the dressing screen before walking over to the bed and pulling off the sheets from the night before. He threw them into the basket he would take down to the laundry, bringing a new set up when he returned to tidy Arthur's chambers.

After finishing his breakfast, Arthur made his way behind the dressing screen pulling on the clothes that Merlin had pulled out for him. There was a knock on the door and Arthur called for them to enter as he pulled on his jacket, Merlin grabbing his sleep clothes and adding them to the basket to take to the laundry.

"Sire," it was Leon who gave Arthur a nod of respect as he entered the room, "your father has called a meeting."

"Did he say why?" Arthur asked and Sir Leon shook his head. Arthur nodded, dismissing the knight and gesturing for Merlin to follow him as he left the room. Merlin left the laundry basket where it was in Arthur's rooms, knowing that he would be back up for it later.

It didn't take them long to reach the council chambers where his father was pacing behind his chair, several knights and the council members present. Arthur walked towards his father while Merlin walked over to where Gaius was standing, looking slightly concerned.

"Any idea what's going on?" He asked, glancing at Gaius who shook his head.

"No," Gaius sounded concerned, watching Uther carefully. "A guard told me that Uther had summoned me here. Didn't say why. Was Arthur told anything?"

"Same thing," Merlin whispered and Gaius nodded, "Leon came to Arthur's chambers and said that Uther had sent for him."

"Father," Arthur called as he approached the King.

"Arthur," Uther appeared to be relieved at the sight of his son, walking over to him as Arthur approached. "We have a serious problem."

"What is it, father?" Merlin glanced at Gaius who still looked confused.

"You've heard the stories from the Lake of Avalon?" Arthur nodded and Merlin glanced at Gaius, extremely nervous at Uther's words. "We've had reports that people, villagers have been going missing around the lake recently."

"You believe that the . . . _creatures_ . . . in the lake are attacking the villagers around the lake?" Merlin bristled at the word 'creatures'. He could feel Gaius's eyes on him and he gave the smallest shake of the head he could muster without anyone noticing.

"That is what I fear." He muttered, glancing around the room. "I want you to investigate, find out what is going on at the lake. If these creatures are responsible for the disappearances that are happening, we need to figure out a way to get rid of them."

"Of course, Father," Arthur nodded, turning to the knights and calling up volunteers to ride out as Uther dismissed the others that had gathered in the council chambers. Merlin followed Gaius out, knowing that he would be expected to ride out with Arthur.

"Merlin?" Gaius raised an eyebrow at him as they walked through the castle, Merlin not saying anything until they reached Gaius's chambers. "Merlin, is there any truth to what the king fears?" Gaius asked as he closed the door behind him.

Merlin stopped, turning, shaking his head. "Not a chance." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "The villagers around the lake know not to go near it so they stay well away. It's only travellers that don't know the lake they've come across is the Lake of Avalon." He shrugged, giving Gaius a wry smile. "And bandits that don't put any stock into the stories they hear or are feeling brave enough to try and take on the merfolk at the lake. Or stupid enough."

"Merlin," Gaius stepped up to him, a worried look on his face, "I need not warn you that you need to be extra careful with this."

"I know," Merlin sighed, making his way to his room, grabbing what he would need. "I need to make sure they stay out of sight of the Knights. If Arthur doesn't find anything then he's most likely to back off."

"Arthur might be," Gaius advised, standing in the doorway, watching Merlin pack his bag as he had done many times before. "But Uther would not be so easily discouraged."

"I don't know what more I can do, Gaius," Merlin turned to face him, looking confused and worried. The physician could see that he was wrestling within himself. He knew that he had to be there to protect Arthur but in this he would have to find a way to protect his family at the lake as well. "I'm just going to have to make sure I can warn them."

"Good luck," Gaius gave him a quick hug as Merlin exited the chambers and made his way down to Arthur's chambers, grabbing what he knew the prince would need and making his way towards the stables where the stable-hands had his and Arthur's horse ready to go. He loaded his horse with what he would need, turning as Arthur walked towards the horses.

Merlin didn't say anything as he watched the knights Arthur had recruited for the mission, climbing onto his own mount, letting out a breath as they started out.

He had no idea what he was going to do.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

" _Mer_ lin, what is wrong with you?" He snapped out of his thoughts at Arthur's words.

"What do you mean?" He asked, watching the prince closely.

"You've had a face like a wounded deer all day." Arthur rolled his eyes, looking back over at Merlin. "Normally you're driving me mad with nonsense. There's obviously something on your mind."

"It's nothing." Merlin muttered, not wanting Arthur to have any idea what was going through his mind. Arthur watched him for a moment longer before digging his heels into his horse and cantering off, the other knights following him. Merlin hesitated before following, knowing that it wouldn't be long before they reached the lake.

All too soon, they broke through the trees, the great expanse of the lake the large part of him still called home, holding so many secrets underneath the calm surface, spread out in front of them. The peace that he felt when coming here washed through him again, the call of the waters in front of him pulling to him but he knew that he couldn't answer. He looked to the others, seeing that they were watching the waves with trepidation and suspicion.

"Remember, don't go into the water." Arthur warned, turning and leading his horse to where they could set up a camp on the shore. "There's no telling what's under the surface."

Merlin let out a breath, knowing exactly what dwelled underneath the calm waves. He didn't say anything until they started to set up camp. "How exactly are you going to figure out if there's anything actually in there?" He asked and Arthur let out a sigh, looking out over the lake.

"To be honest, Merlin," he looked to Merlin, slight worry on his face, "I don't know." He looked back over across the lake before turning away from Merlin. "We need firewood." He turned back, pointing a finger at the servant. "Don't forget, stay out of the water."

"Yeah, yeah," Merlin sighed, patting his horse before walking in the opposite direction, knowing a small incline surrounded by trees. If one of the knights followed him there, it would seem like a reasonable place to collect firewood.

 _Mother,_ he called out mentally to his mother, hoping that she would sense where he was. _Mother_.

He kept an eye on the water as he gathered dead wood to use for a fire. He was rewarded a few moments later with his mother appearing in front of him, a concerned look on his face. She was glancing in the direction Merlin had come from, coming as close to the shore as she could, laying in the shallows.

"Merlin?" She said softly, watching him closely. "What are you doing here? What is Arthur doing here?"

"Uther thinks that villagers are being attacked by those in the lake and has sent Arthur to investigate." He explained and she looked confused at the accusation. She knew that no one from the villages surrounding the lake dared to come near it or enter the waters. They'd all grown up on the stories of the merfolk that dwelled in its depths. They knew what could happen if you set foot in the water. "I need you to make sure that no one is seen. With Arthur here there's not much more that I can do but they need to keep out of sight. If Arthur finds proof that we're here, Uther will no doubt seek to wipe everyone here out."

"I'll let everyone know." She nodded, giving him one last long motherly look before pushing herself back into the depths of the lake, Merlin wishing he could go with her.

Glancing back over the lake once more, hoping that they would heed his words and stay well below the surface, he gathered s few more branches of deadwood and made his way back to the camp, arranging them to make a fire.

The knights were setting up to sleep, arranging their bedrolls around where Merlin was lighting the fire with practised ease. Granted it would have been much easier if he had been able to use magic to light it but such as things were, he had had to learn to do it by hand. The fact that he had never done it before didn't hinder him when learning. It just helped that when he learned something new, he did it quickly.

"Sire," he glanced at Sir Leon who walked over to Arthur, sitting next to him where he had pulled a large fallen log near to the fire. "How are we going to determine what's been happening here? There's no way to really know what is in the lake."

Merlin ducked his head, part of him wanting to reveal that he knew _exactly_ what dwelled beneath the waves and that he was one of them but also knowing that they couldn't find out. He had to ensure the safety of his family while he was here. He could hear them, confused, calling out to him. He knew that the temptation of so many humans sitting on the bank of the lake, close enough to call to them but having the decree from Merlin that they couldn't was large. He just had to hope that they could resist while the knights and Arthur were here and that they group of humans wouldn't linger too long.

"I don't know." Arthur admitted for the second time that day. He gazed out over the lake, watching the sun glint off the surface. "It seems so peaceful, calm but . . . to know that there could be such dangers lurking underneath. We have to know."

"I'm not sure we should be so close, sire," Sir Bertrand, another senior knight spoke up, looking decidedly nervous.

"And why is that?" Arthur watched the man carefully as he did anyone that might be seen to challenge him. Merlin had been on the end of that look many times before.

"I have heard that they sing, sire," he explained, glancing at the lake, "and that is how they attract their meals. They say that the voices of the merfolk . . . they say you cannot fight against it, my lord."

Now _that_ was true. Merfolk were known for their beautiful voices and using them to lure men to their deaths. Merlin was not ashamed to say that he had feasted on human flesh while in the lake. He had not known anything different. During the colder months when humans did not venture far from their homes, they called the wild beasts from the winter slumber and fed on them. But everyone knew that human flesh was what they really wanted.

The singing voice of a mermaid or merman was not something that could be fought. It was why Merlin didn't sing when he was in Camelot. It would have been a bit hard to hide everyone coming to him while humming a tune. He had missed being able to sing as he once had, allowing the melodies to flow from him as he once had.

But it wasn't something he could risk in the human world.

"I have heard the same, my lord." Another, younger knight spoke up, somehow feeling safe in his words now that both Sir Leon and Sir Bertrand had said something. "They say that those that dwell in these areas stay away from the lake, lest the voices of the merfolk reach their ears."

"Well, if that were true, we wouldn't be hearing reports of villagers going missing here, would we?" Arthur shrugged and the knights didn't have an answer for his words.

"Why would they come here?" Merlin asked, turning to look at Arthur who raised an eyebrow at him. "I mean, if they've been brought up with the stories and told never to go near the lake, why would they come here. Surely they would know what would happen to them if they did."

"Who knows?" Arthur shrugged again, gesturing towards the lake. "Maybe whatever lives in there has found a new way to lure their prey. That's what we're here to find out."

 _Not if I can help it,_ Merlin thought to himself, watching as the sun set over the back of the lake, the knights starting to bed down for the night.

Merlin didn't know how Arthur was planning on finding anything. If he were to try to discover anything about the lake, he would need to enter it and there was no way that he was going to do that. He had brought the knights out here for no reason. Merlin would just need to ensure that all of those in the lake understood that they could not make a meal out of the knights camped here.

Drawing on the energy from the lake, Merlin knew that he didn't need to sleep. Turning to face the lake, he feigned sleep, his face away from the knight on watch. Not that anything came this close to the lake without being called. There was no need for anyone to be on watch – other than Merlin that is – but as protocol stated, they had to do it.

Merlin shifted, pretending to wake up a few hours before dawn, sitting up and meeting the startled yet slightly sleepy eyes of Sir Murdoc. He looked over the lake, seeing that it was still calm and stood up, stretching out.

"It's not long to go before dawn," Merlin suggested, walking over to the young knight. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll keep watch."

"But you're a servant." He argued and Merlin rolled his eyes, giving him a wry grin. They all knew that he was trained with a sword, even though he was not permitted to carry one, given his station. "I can't-"

"I insist." Merlin sat down, gesturing towards the knight's bedroll and he could see him wavering. "Look, I'm not going to get any more sleep. You might as well take it." Sir Murdoc nodded in thanks before settling down into his bedroll to catch the last few hours' sleep before dawn. Merlin knew that if one of his family were to call for him, it wouldn't be long before dawn that they did.

He only had to wait an hour before he heard one of their voices echoing in his head. They were not too far away meaning that he could slip away and most likely get back before anyone noticed.

"Luka?" Merlin called and the blonde head of the merman surfaced. They were in a small alcove, where the water was still deep enough for him to be able to swim without lying flat on his belly.

"Merlin, what's going on?" He asked, glancing at where he could see the men, asleep. "Why are they here? Their scent, it's driving everybody mad down there."

"I know and I'm sorry." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Merlin knew what it was like to have the scent of humans with every breath he took. When he had first come to Camelot, he thought that it would drive him mad but he found that he built up a tolerance to it, that it didn't affect him now as it once would have. He knew that those below didn't have the same experience and they wouldn't have the same resolve as he did. Yes, he found his mouth still watered when he was in a large crowd but he had learned how to deal with it. They would not have the same luxury. "It's as I told my mother earlier. Uther believes that people from nearby villages are being killed by those in the lake."

"You know that's not true," Luka argued, looking Merlin up and down. "People from the villages don't dare to come near here. They know what happens to them if they do."

" _I_ know that but it's not like I can tell that to the King," Merlin countered and Luka nodded. "Look, if everyone keeps out of sight, Arthur won't stick around for long. He knows that the only way to find any hard evidence would be to enter the lake and he won't do that."

"I'm sure many would like him to," Luka remarked, a teasing tone in his voice.

Merlin shook his head, knowing that tone. "You know who Arthur is and so does everyone else. He is not to be touched, even if he is stupid enough to enter the lake."

"And what about the others?" Luka asked, his eyes narrowing, wondering if all of them were off limits.

"If they want Uther's army here within the next few days then go for it." Merlin answered, his voice serious. "Once Arthur reports that there is nothing to be found at the lake, it's highly likely that nothing else will come of it."

"Let's hope so," Luka sighed, sounding resigned.

Merlin glanced behind him, seeing the gentle light of dawn approaching. "I'd better get back or they're going to wake up and wonder where I've been." Luka nodded, disappearing beneath the surface of the water.

Merlin listened carefully for any stirrings from the camp before turning and barely making a sound, let out a low hum, calling three rabbits to him, to give an excuse as to why he wasn't there if Arthur woke and found him gone.

He needn't have worried as all the knights were asleep still when he returned, taking the travel pot and filling it from the stream that fed into the lake. He would have gone to lake itself but he would have made footprints in the soft banks and they would know. He pulled out some of the herbs he had left over from the night before and started to make a rabbit stew, something to keep them warm on what was looking to be a chilly morning, such was the case in early springtime.

He turned as the knights began to stir, groaning and rubbing their eyes and they sat up.

"Something smells good," Arthur groaned as he sat down on the log he had used the night before. Merlin stirred the stew again, leaving it to settle for a few more minutes. "Merlin?"

"Hmm?" He didn't look at Arthur as he pulled the bowls out, readying them for the breakfast he had made.

"Where did you get the water for that?" He turned to see Arthur staring at him, a mild look of horror on his face as he realised what Merlin had made, obviously thinking he had gone to the lake to fill the cooking pot.

"There's a stream just over there." He gestured to where he had in fact gotten the water from. Arthur turned, following the direction he was pointing in, nodding in acceptance of his servants words. "You didn't think I'd be stupid enough to go to the lake when we have no idea what could be in there, did you?"

"Well," Arthur pretended to look thoughtful for a moment, "with you, you can never tell."

Merlin scoffed, stirring the stew again, spooning Arthur out a bowl before handing one to each of the other knights that had been roused by the conversation between Arthur and Merlin and the smell of food. If there was one thing they could all agree on, it was the Merlin was a good cook.

Not bad for someone that, by nature, ate raw flesh.

Cooking had been another thing he had had to learn quickly. Thankfully Gaius had been there to teach him the basics and the rest he had been able to put together himself. Gaius had told him of what herb mixtures went together and how different things were combined and all in all, he hadn't had any complaints so he had to be doing something right.

Merlin spooned himself out a small bowl, making sure to only actually eat the bits of rabbit that he had in there. While he detested the taste, he knew that he had to actually _eat_ something while he was on patrol with the men otherwise they would start to question it. Even while in human form, he still ate raw meat, something Gaius had started to pick up from the market after Merlin had come to Camelot. His reasoning was that with a new ward, it seemed much easier to pick it up himself once or twice a week after finishing his rounds rather than burden the kitchens any more than they already were. With the wages that he made as Court Physician and the wages Merlin earned as Arthur's servant, it was more than enough to cover the cost of the meat.

Merlin didn't need to eat as often as the humans he lived with did. While in Camelot he only needed to eat two to three times a week to be sated and it had been something he'd gotten away with for the last three years or so. When he was in the lake, due to being able to call in larger meals, he had only needed to eat once every week to two weeks depending on the size of the meal. He had been completely perplexed when he had learned that humans had to eat as least two to three times a day to properly function. And some even more than that.

It had confused him greatly.

"Where did this meat come from?" Arthur asked, looking at Merlin once again.

"Its rabbit," Merlin shrugged and Arthur raised an eyebrow, silently asking the question once again. "I caught them while you were all still asleep."

"But you hate hunting." Arthur pointed out and Merlin rolled his eyes, aware that it was only Arthur that was paying attention to him.

"No," he corrected, "I hate hunting for _sport_. Hunting out of necessity, to _eat_ is something entirely different." Arthur appeared to think about it for a moment before shrugging and going back to his meal.

It wasn't long after that that they had all finished their meals and Merlin had cleared everything away. They were sitting around the burned out fire from the previous night, discussing how they would be able to confirm whether there was actually anything in the lake. Merlin saw to the horses, knowing that there would be a lot of questions directed at him if they could see the amusement on his face.

Arthur let out a groan of frustration, running a hand through his hair. Merlin glanced over to see him sitting with his chin resting on his hand. He knew Arthur didn't like to be without a plan – however a loose one it may be – and sitting here, not having any clue of how they could approach the lake had to be eating away at him.

"I don't believe that there is a way for us to determine what is in the lake," he sighed, standing up and stepping towards the large expanse of water, a contemplative look on his face as though he were searching for any sign that all was not as it seemed.

"Maybe travelling to the villages and finding out from them would be more effective," Merlin suggested and Arthur turned to look at him, nodding slightly before glancing back at the lake. "As you said," Merlin walked over to the prince, stopping just behind him, joining his gaze out onto the lake he would always call his home no matter where he lived. "There isn't any way to tell what's in there. If there _is_ anything in there, the only way anyone would find out is by going and . . . I don't think that would be worth the risk."

Arthur looked at him again, nodding before looking back around at his knights who all looked as though they very much agreed with Merlin's plan. He could see that the thought of lingering at the lake longer than necessary was unnerving to the men.

"As much as I hate to say it," Arthur glanced at Merlin who had to stop himself from rolling his eyes, "Merlin's right. We're more likely to figure out what's going on if we talk to the villages the reports came from."

As the knights followed Arthur's directions and they began to clear up the camp, Merlin let out a sigh of relief, looking back over the lake again, feeling like that crisis had been averted.

For the time being, at least.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

"No, sire," the headman of the village they were in looked confused at the questions the prince had asked of him, glancing around the group of knights. "We have suffered no loses, my lord. And no one from this village dares to go near that malevolent lake. To do so would mean certain death."

"Thank you," Arthur nodded, turning away from the man and towards the knights who were beginning to congregate where they had been before. "It's the same as the others." He looked around the village, confused. Other than the curious looks that the prince's presence in their village, nothing looked amiss. There was no sign of anyone grieving or out of sorts and he had just had confirmation from the headman that no one from the village ever went near the Lake of Avalon for fear of the creatures in it.

"They say that no one has been taken," Sir Leon nodded, following Arthur's gaze around the village.

"Sire," the knights looked towards Merlin as he approached, stopping next to Arthur, "I was just speaking with a young woman here and she said that even though no one had been taken, there was a man here about two weeks ago. Apparently, he stayed for a few days and he seemed very interested in the lake and the stories. He was asking a lot of questions about the lake. Everyone found it very odd as normally no one coming through the village asks about it. Most of the people that come through this village are travelling to Camelot and aren't even aware of the stories."

"But he was?" Merlin nodded at Arthur's question. "That might be useful."

Merlin nodded again as Arthur gave the order to mount up, stating that he wanted to be back in Camelot before night fell. Merlin was just glad that they had given up at the lake so quickly. He was slightly worried at the thought of someone asking the villagers around about the lake but he reasoned it was most likely someone that had heard the stories and wanted to find out for himself if there was any truth to them.

There was only one way to do that and it wouldn't end well for the man if he tried it.

Arthur pushed them hard, only allowing for quick breaks to water the horses before carrying on again. They made it back through the gates just as the sun was setting and Arthur left Merlin and the knights to report to his father. He hoped that Uther took it to mean that there wasn't any truth to the rumours and would cease his investigations into the lake.

While he had made it clear that Arthur and the knights were not to be touched, with all that he had done to harm the magical world, Merlin didn't think that he could bring himself to give the king such immunity from the merpeople. He didn't dwell on it, knowing that Gaius would be disappointed if he knew that Merlin was contemplating letting his family rip the king to pieces if they were ever given the chance. Though not actually direct relations with any of the mermaids and mermen in the lake, other than his mother, he often referred to them, both in his mind and to Gaius as his brothers and sisters.

And Merlin had a suspicion that his mother would be first in line if that were to happen. Uther had taken much from his mother when he had persecuted his father. Before the Purge had occurred, the two of them would spend all of their available time together, falling in love as the years passed. Balinor had made a home for himself on the island in the centre of the lake and the merpeople, seeing how happy he had made Hunith, and often on the receiving end of threatening screeches from her, they had left him alone.

But all that had changed when the Purge had begun.

It hadn't been uncommon for Balinor to leave the lake for a few weeks at a time, having things in his own world that he had to see to. The last time Hunith had seen Balinor, he had been bruised, clearly fearful as he uttered to her that he had to go and didn't know if and when he would be back. His words and subsequent disappearance had nearly destroyed Hunith and she had often told Merlin that it would have had she not found herself expecting. He was a small piece of Balinor that she would have with her forever, created through their love, perfect in Hunith's eyes.

Everyone had been shocked and awed when he had been born with a golden tail, none of them having seen or heard of the like before. In Hunith's eyes that made him all the more precious to her and they quickly noticed that he also had magic, which was also unheard of in merfolk. They had the ability to speak to each other telepathically but that was all they were able to do. But Merlin had the abilities of a human sorcerer.

Their questions about Merlin had been answered when a trio of druids had appeared at the edge of the lake, calling out with their minds to the mother of the newborn. Merlin was the only one that had been born to them within those few months so Hunith and a few others breached the surface, the smell of human flesh enticing but slightly outweighed by the curiosity the druids posed. How had they known about Merlin's birth? Yes, there were other merpeople than those that dwelled in the lake, the various rivers and streams that branched off of it leading to others in the neighbouring kingdoms and the story of the golden-tailed merman would spread amongst their kind quickly.

But how had these _humans_ known?

They had explained about their prophecies and how to their people, Merlin was known as Emrys. Of course they hadn't expected him to be a baby merman but the fact that he had been born at all gave them hope. They hadn't seemed fearful as they addressed the mermaids in front of them, their eyes fixed firmly on the infant in his mother's arms. One of them requested to hold him, wishing nothing more than to hold the one so central to their most ancient prophecies. While she was reluctant at first, Hunith eventually allowed him to hold her son, seeing the pure delight in the human's eyes as they gave him leave to enter the water and remain unharmed. As he held him, he looked down at the infant with pure awe and delight at what he was seeing, knowing who he would become and what was to do. The druid had never felt more at peace than in that moment.

Until Merlin sank his teeth into him, that is.

It had taken a fair amount of coaxing for Merlin to release his baby yet incredibly strong jaw from the man's arm. He would bear the marks for life.

Merlin shook his head, dispelling the thoughts of the stories his mother had told him of his first years that he couldn't remember as he left his horse with the stable-hands and made his way back to Gaius's chambers. Arthur had gone straight to the council chambers where he knew his father would be. Merlin always knew that if he hadn't given him any direct requests, then he wouldn't have need of him until the morning.

Gaius turned as he walked through the door, dropping his bag on the floor, leaning against the door as it closed. He looked at him expectantly and Merlin wasn't entirely sure what he was after.

"How was the mission?" He asked, remaining where he was in front of the large table in the room.

"Well, Arthur soon realised that the only way he was going to be able to find out if there was anything in the lake was to actually get _in_ the lake," Merlin let out a small chuckle, shaking his head, "which of course he didn't do. So we travelled to the villages the reports had come from but . . ."

"But?" Gaius pressed, a curious expression on his face. "What is it, Merlin?"

"We were able to get to four villages today." Gaius looked surprised at the achievement and Merlin nodded, smiling grimly. He hoped that Arthur wouldn't want to go out of the city any time soon because he thought it might kill his horse if he were to force her to go anywhere else before she'd had a proper rest. "Arthur really wanted to get whatever information he could. But each one we went to said the same thing. No one had gone missing. No one from their village goes near the lake."

"So where did the reports of missing people come from?" Gaius asked and Merlin shook his head, not having a clue. "Well, it sounds like you've had a long day."

"You've got that right," Merlin sighed, leaning his head back on the door and closing his eyes.

"Which is why I've got a treat for you," Gaius sounded slightly smug and Merlin lifted his head, curious as the physician stepped away from the table to reveal a large steel dome much like the ones used to cover the noble's food in preparation for a feast, though this one was a lot more plain. Merlin raised an eyebrow and Gaius lifted the dome off the platter it was one, revealing several large, bloody slabs of meat.

Merlin's mouth immediately began to water at the sight and scent of the meat that had been masked by the steel covering it. Gaius stepped aside, knowing that he wouldn't be able to keep Merlin from the meal he had just given him.

When he had first come to Camelot, the thought that Merlin's diet consisted of raw meat, usually beasts that he had been able to lure into the lake he called home. Gaius didn't like to think that Merlin also fed on humans. Seeing him in his every day to day life, it was easy to forget that Merlin, though looking like one was not in fact human. But when it was when Merlin was quite happily feasting on raw meat that his true nature came across. When it had become clear that Merlin could not sustain the same diet as a human would, Gaius had sought out one of the hunters in the lower town. He had managed to secure a regular source of meat for Merlin. The money Gaius was paying him meant that the hunter knew to keep his mouth shut or risk the loss of the regular income.

He turned back to Merlin, seeing that he had made short work of the deer meat that he had managed to secure from the hunter. With the amount Gaius had managed to buy from the hunter, Merlin wouldn't need to eat for another four days or so.

He watched as Merlin made his way to his room, clearly sated and happy with the meal that he had just had. Gaius knew that he wouldn't have been able to have much to eat while out with Arthur. Gaius shook his head as he finished the work he needed to so he was ready for any of the work that may be required of him in the morning, marvelling at how he had managed to stay hidden for so long.

Over the next few weeks, it seemed that Uther and Arthur had forgotten about the 'threat' that lingered in the Lake of Avalon. There hadn't been any talk of any more patrols to the lake and Merlin hoped that the king wouldn't make any more moves against them.

Walking through the market, picking up some herbs for Gaius as the physician made his rounds throughout the castle. It was something that he didn't mind doing as it got him out of being target practise for Arthur on the training field. He had to visit various different merchants to get everything Gaius needed. He gathered most of Gaius's herbs himself but there were some things that weren't available either in the areas surrounding Camelot or the time of year was wrong and they could only be bought dried. Obviously Gaius preferred them fresh but he would take what he could get.

"Excuse me," he stopped, turning to see an older man looking at him curiously. "I'm looking for the way to the castle." Merlin turned pointing up the street towards where the courtyard led up to the castle. He wondered why someone would need to ask directions to a castle that was right in front of them. The way to it was pretty clear. "Thank you."

Merlin turned as the man walked off and he couldn't help but be curious. He quickly got what Gaius required him to get before heading back to his chambers and leaving the herbs for him. He knew that it was nearing midday so he quickly made his way down to the kitchens to grab Arthur's meal. Once again, he was in and out before the majority of the other servants started to come down, wanting to make sure that Arthur didn't have a reason to be annoyed with him. Not that the prince needed a reason.

He entered Arthur's chambers, noting that the prince was at his desk going over some paperwork he had been given by his father. He looked up at Merlin as the servant walked across his rooms, his eyes following the tray hungrily as he took in the food on it. He knew that he needed to finish the reports that were on his desk but he also couldn't deny the pull of his hunger. Abandoning the reports he made his way over towards the table, settling himself into the chair while Merlin began to tidy up his rooms, wondering how someone could make such a mess when it was most likely he hadn't really moved all day.

Merlin started polishing Arthur's boots as Arthur finished his meal and went back to the reports on his table. Merlin left the boots as Arthur stood up, grabbing the tray and quickly taking it back down to the kitchens. He resumed what he was doing upon returning to Arthur's chambers, hearing Arthur making notes on the parchments in front of him.

"You know, I never thought I'd say this, Merlin," Arthur drawled, not taking his eyes off the words in front of him, "but I find your silence oddly irritating."

Merlin's brow furrowed as he paused in what he was doing, looking up at Arthur. "What are you talking about?"

"I've become used to your constant stream of chatter while you work." Arthur looked up at Merlin, resting his arms on the desk in front of him. "You sitting there quietly, actually doing what you're supposed to be doing. Doesn't seem right."

Merlin shrugged, not really knowing how he was supposed to respond to that. "I know those reports are important and I know that if I _was_ talking you'd just tell me to shut up or throw something at me. Or both." Arthur shrugged, knowing that what he said was true.

The two of them looked up as a knock sounded at the door. Merlin let out a quiet sigh as Arthur called for them to come in. One thing Merlin had noticed was that whenever someone knocked on Arthur's chamber door, it was always followed by some urgent missive from the king or news that someone was attacking Camelot. Or both.

Sure enough, a guard had been sent by Uther to bring Arthur to the council chambers, stating a matter of great urgency. Arthur indicated for Merlin to stay where he was before leaving his chambers. Merlin felt his brow furrow momentarily before he returned to finishing polishing Arthur's boots.

That being done, he moved on to the next chore on his list. Scrubbing Arthur's floor. Not something he enjoyed doing considering it seemed that as soon as he finished, Arthur always seemed to turn up and run bootprints all over the wet floor, seeming not to care that it had taken Merlin well over an hour to clean every inch of it.

Merlin sighed as he made his way down to the cistern to fill up the water bucket. Hauling it back up the stairs was never an easy job, especially with all the other members of the castle staff that seemed to pick the same moment to come _down_ the stairs he was coming _up._ Every time, without fail it happened.

Once back up in Arthur's chambers, bucket and scrub brush read he took off his jacket and placed it over the back of one of the chairs at the table, rolling up his sleeves, he let out a sigh, the size of the rooms always seeming more daunting whenever he had to do this. Grumbling to himself, he moved the bucket to the far side, away from the door starting the enormous task of scrubbing Arthur's floors.

It was about half an hour later or so and Merlin was slowly making his way across the rooms, making sure to get every corner he could to ensure every inch was clean when the doors to Arthur's chambers flew open and Uther stormed in, an expression of fury on his face.

"Guards!" Two of the guards that had followed Uther into the rooms moved forward, grabbing Merlin by the arms, hauling him to his feet, causing him to drop the brush with a loud clatter.

"Father, this is ridiculous!" Arthur followed Uther into the rooms, looking at Merlin, an apologetic look on his face. "You can't seriously believe this."

Merlin winced as the guards tightened their hold on his arms, no doubt leaving bruises on his pale skin as his mind raced with the only thing he could think of causing this reaction from Uther.

He was being arrested for sorcery.

Again.

Uther glared at him in a way he had never seen before as he ignored Arthur and stepped towards Merlin. He stopped in front of the servant, his glare hard and cold as he took in the young man in front of him. So unassuming. Such a perfect disguise to infiltrate his castle.

"Father!" Arthur stopped beside Uther, looking at Merlin, his eyes flicking between the bucket on the floor and Merlin's hands. "Father, he cannot be right about Merlin. Look!" Arthur pointed to Merlin's hands, confusing him even more. Uther's gaze flicked to Merlin's hands that were still wet from where he had had them in the bucket moments before he burst into the room. "Randall said that they cannot get wet without their true form being revealed. Merlin's hands are clearly wet."

Merlin looked worriedly between the king and the prince, wondering what was going on. What did his hands being wet have to do with him being restrained by the guards and very clearly under arrest even though the words had not been uttered?

"Little proof." Uther muttered, looking Merlin up and down again, his hard gaze never ceasing.

"And yet you are willing enough to arrest my servant with nothing more than a stranger's word. Merlin has proved his loyalty more than enough." Arthur stepped around the guard, grabbing the bucket. "And if what he says about them getting wet is true, then I can easily prove him wrong about Merlin."

Without time even to form a thought in his mind, Merlin was drenched head to toe in the water from the bucket he had brought up. He stood there, stunned at what had just happened. How was throwing a bucket of water over Merlin going to prove anything? Thoroughly confused, Merlin could only stand there for a moment not really noticing when Uther nodded for the guards to release him and Gaius walked into the room, his jaw dropping slightly upon seeing the drenched Merlin in front of the king.

"My Lord," he bowed his head slightly as he addressed Uther. "May I ask what is going on?"

Uther regarded him for a moment, not answering his question. Thankfully, Arthur spoke up, explaining what had happened in the meeting Uther had summoned him to.

"A man by the name of Randall informed my father and I that the dangers we feared from the Lake of Avalon were indeed real." Merlin blinked, his expression clearly questioning where throwing a bucket of water over him factored in. "He also informed us that that was not our only worry. He believes that the merpeople that live in the lake now know how to give themselves legs." Merlin schooled his expression to show one of disbelief as the prince explained.

"He informed us that there was one of them in our very court," Uther spoke to him and Merlin looked to the king. "He accused you of being one of them."

"Me?" He glanced at Arthur again who nodded in confirmation of his father's words. "He accused me of being a . . . merman?" He made himself sound as though he wasn't sure of what to call himself and Arthur sighed, nodding. "Forgive me, sire, but I don't understand what throwing a bucket of water over my head proves." He bowed his head again, a show of respect towards the king.

"He informed us that while they may be able to give themselves legs, they cannot sustain it if they get wet." Arthur informed him of what he had been told. "He informed us that if one of them were to get wet while they were in their human form, they would be automatically forced back into their true form." Arthur looked at his father again. "Clearly he is wrong about Merlin."

"It would seem so." Uther looked Merlin up and down again and the servant became very conscious that he was still drenched and most likely dripping on the prince's chamber floor. "But why would he accuse your servant of such a thing?"

"My Lord," both Uther and Arthur turned to face Gaius who walked up to them, clearly trying not to laugh at the state of Merlin, "I believe I know why."

"Go on," Uther prompted the old man.

"Sire, as I'm sure you're aware this is not the first time Merlin has been falsely accused," Gaius glanced between the two royals and Arthur nodded, remembering the incident with the witchfinder. It could have been that he'd nearly lost both Gaius and Merlin. Two people the prince was extremely close to could have been ripped away from him. "And I believe that it is because of his position in the household." He paused at the kings' curious expression. "Merlin is the manservant of the future king, sire. It would most likely be the same for anyone else that were in his position," _though for them it most likely wouldn't be true._ "Merlin has proved himself to be extremely loyal to Arthur. He showed that before he even became his manservant. In fact, my lord, I believe that is _why_ you made Merlin Arthur's manservant."

The king looked at the young man in front of him. "These people try to get rid of Merlin to try to get close to Arthur." He reasoned and Gaius nodded. The look on Uther's face told the three in front of him that he found it a reasonable explanation before he turned, sweeping out of the room, the guards following him. Of all the things Merlin thought that he might be arrested for, being a merman was not one of them. And the fact that both Arthur and Uther seemed to believe that throwing a bucket of water over someone proved that they either were or were not a mermaid or merman in disguise.

Where the man they were talking about had gotten that idea, he didn't know. But part of him didn't really care. Because of it, he wasn't under arrest and he wasn't headed to the dungeons.

But it was clear that he needed to find out who this 'Randall' was and what he was doing in Camelot.

Before he had the chance to do any real damage.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

Merlin, Arthur and Gaius stood there silently for a few moments after the King had left, none of them really knowing what to say after what had just happened.

"So," Merlin, still soaked turned to Arthur, a curious look on his face, "mind explaining what that was about?"

Arthur sighed, running a hand through his hair. "This Randall man came to my father and told him what I told you a moment ago-"

"That the merpeople in the Lake of Avalon had the ability to obtain legs?" Gaius had to admit he was impressed at how good of an actor Merlin really was. He'd known that concealing the truth was something Merlin had become incredibly skilled at but even Gaius was shocked at how believable the young man was. "And you believe him?"

"We have no idea what they're capable of," Arthur turned to look at Merlin, worry clear in his eyes. "And my father believes him. How much after the accusation he aimed at you was proved false."

"And was it really necessary to empty a bucket of water over my head?" Merlin raised an eyebrow at him and Arthur shrugged, a smirk on his face.

"It made the point, didn't it?" His expression became serious as he took in the young man in front of him. "I'm sorry, Merlin." Merlin blinked at the words the prince had just spoken. He couldn't remember the last time he had heard those words directed at him. "I tried to tell my father that it was nonsense but he wouldn't listen. Like he never does when it comes to magic."

"As you said, sire," Gaius stepped forward beside Merlin, "you were able to prove the accusation against Merlin false." He looked the warlock up and down, trying to hide a smirk at the sight of him. "But I think it might be a good idea to allow Merlin to change. Lest he become ill from being in wet clothes, sire." Gaius raised an eyebrow at him, reminding the prince in front of him of the times when he had not followed the physician's advice after training in the rain and falling ill.

Arthur nodded, gesturing for Merlin to go. "I'll be dining with my father tonight so there's no need to bring my dinner up. I'll have one of the other servants clear that up." He gestured towards the mess he had made with the bucket, giving Merlin a slightly guilty look. Merlin nodded before grabbing his jacket and following Gaius out of the rooms.

The two of them said nothing as they walked through the castle, Merlin feeling uncomfortable in his still drenched clothing. A creature of the water he may be but there was no comfortable way for anyone to move around in wet clothing. He got a few curious looks from the other servants in the hallways as he and Gaius made their way towards the chambers they occupied.

Neither of them were expecting the arm that reached out from an alcove on their journey, grabbing Merlin around his upper arm, right where he had been grabbed by the guards when Uther had had them restrain him. He stopped, Gaius stopping a few steps on not expecting Merlin to stop. He turned to see the man that had stopped him earlier in the day in the market, a look of hatred in his eyes as he glared at Merlin.

"I don't know how you did it," he snarled, his grip on Merlin's arm increasing. Merlin gave away nothing as he stood there.

"Did what?" Merlin gave him a questioning look even though he had quickly figured out that this must be the man, Randall, Arthur had mentioned. From the look on his face, Gaius's theory that he was trying to get rid of Merlin to get close to Arthur wasn't right. There was something else in his eyes. Something that Merlin knew he had to be wary of.

"You might be able to hide what you are from the rest of them," he glanced down the hallway, his voice nothing more than a hiss as he glared back up at Merlin. "But I know what you really are."

"What are you talking about?" Merlin shook his head, yanking his arm away from the man.

"Creatures like you need to be eradicated," he snarled, stepping closer to Merlin. "And I _will_ find a way."

Merlin and Gaius watched as he stormed off down the hallway, glancing at each other before looking back at his retreating back. Gaius gently took Merlin's arm, leading him back to his chambers. Merlin shook his head as he entered the chambers, his mind racing as he ran through what the man had said. Somehow, he knew what Merlin was. He knew that Merlin was a merman in disguise.

But how did he know?

"You'd better get changed," Gaius advised softly and Merlin turned to look at him, a stunned look on his face as he regarded the old man.

"That's all you have to say?" He asked, completely dumbfounded. "After what just happened, all you can say is that I should get changed?"

"Merlin," Gaius walked over to him slowly, trying to figure out how to calm the warlock down as he could see that he was beginning to panic slightly. Gaius knew why he was. It didn't take much to figure out that the man that had confronted them in the corridor was this Randall man that Arthur had mentioned. He couldn't risk Arthur and Uther figuring out that this man was telling the truth about him. "We'll figure out what to do." He placed a hand on Merlin's shoulder, feeling how tense he was. "Now, I know that being in wet clothes won't actually make you ill but . . . I don't really want you dripping on the floor." The two of them looked down to see there was a small puddle from where Merlin was standing. He couldn't believe how wet he still was from Arthur throwing the water over him.

Merlin let out a small laugh as he nodded, turning to his room and climbing the small set of steps that led to his door. He leaned against the door for a moment, closing his eyes and letting out a sigh before stripping down and pulling on some dry clothes. He emerged from his room, throwing the wet clothes into the basket for the laundry, knowing that he would need to take it down in the next day or two.

"Gaius, what am I going to do?" He sighed, sitting at the table while Gaius pulled out various things for his supper. "He knows the truth about me? You know I can't risk Arthur and Uther finding out as well."

"I wouldn't worry too much, Merlin," Gaius turned, leaning against the worktable, folding his hands in front of him. Merlin raised an eyebrow at him and Gaius gave him a small smile. "Even if he does know he has no way of proving it. And the spectacle in Arthur's chambers will have gone a long way to discrediting him with the King."

"Even so, he knows," Merlin shook his head, still worried about the man being in the castle. "He knows about me. I have no idea how but he does. Everyone knows how fanatical Uther is about anything even hinting at magic."

"You think he's going to go after the merpeople." It wasn't a question but Merlin nodded nonetheless. "Merlin, you _must_ be careful."

"I know," he sighed, rubbing his face roughly, settling his arms on the table as Gaius continued to prepare his meal for the evening.

Neither of them said anything further as Gaius sat down to eat the meal he had prepared himself. Merlin wrinkled his nose at the smell of the cooked meat and herbs and Gaius chuckled, amused at his reaction.

The two of them started when a knock sounded at the door. Merlin raised an eyebrow, grabbing a bowl and spooning a small amount of the stew Gaius had made to make it seem like the two of them were eating together. Gaius called for whoever it was to come in and the two of them were surprised to see Arthur step through the door. From the look on his face, Merlin could see that it was a serious matter that brought him down here.

"Is everything alright, sire?" Gaius asked, standing up to greet the prince.

"Hm?" He looked over to see Gaius's worried expression as he stood there. "Oh, yes."

"That was convincing." Merlin muttered a small smile on his face and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"My father is convinced that Randall's words hold truth to them," he sighed, sitting in one of the chairs that were littered around the physician's chambers. "It would seem that even though he was wrong about Merlin, my father believes that he is telling the truth about the threat of the lake." Merlin and Gaius exchanged a concerned glance that Arthur missed as he twirled the ring on his finger, an act Merlin had only seen him do when agitated. "This man believes he has a way of destroying the creatures that live in there." Once again, Merlin bristled at the way Arthur identified his kin, hating that he viewed them as nothing more than monsters. "He is insisting that we ride for the lake in the morning."

Merlin glanced at Gaius, the both of them knowing that the man hadn't a way to kill the merpeople. He had admitted as much when he had confronted Merlin. He had stated that he would find a way to get rid of his kind.

"Sire," Gaius stepped forward, looking down at Arthur, "I don't believe that it would be wise for Merlin to join you."

"Why is that?" Merlin and Arthur gave Gaius equally confused looks.

"As we were returning here after the commotion in your chambers, the man we both believe was Randall intercepted us. It appears that he believes what he has said about Merlin to be true. He states that he will expose Merlin, whatever that means," Gaius shook his head, appearing to Arthur that he didn't know what the man was going on about. "I fear that should Merlin accompany you to the lake, he may try something else to harm him as he did earlier today."

Arthur looked thoughtful for a moment before nodding. "It makes sense." Merlin sighed, shaking his head and Arthur rolled his eyes again at his servant. "I know I don't say it much but . . . I don't want you getting hurt, Merlin." Merlin's eyebrows shot up at Arthur's words, taken completely by surprise. "I want you to stay here, Merlin. Please."

Merlin let out a breath, knowing that Arthur wouldn't ask that unless he was worried. He nodded, not happy with the request but knowing that Arthur wasn't going to be satisfied until he had agreed. Arthur nodded, getting up and walking out of Gaius's chambers.

"And what did you do that for?" Merlin snapped as soon as the door closed behind Arthur. Gaius turned to look down at him, eyebrow raised and Merlin stared at him. "Why did you tell Arthur that I shouldn't go with them to the lake?"

"Because I'm assuming you want to warn the merfolk of what is happening?" Gaius asked, not needing an answer as he sat down across from Merlin once more. "Doing that with Arthur and this Randall there would be incredibly difficult, don't you think?"

"And how does me not going with Arthur make that any easier?" Merlin asked, leaning towards Gaius.

"Because you, as one man, can get through the forest that leads to the lake a lot faster on foot than a large group of men on horses can travel the roads to the same place." Gaius smirked at Merlin and he nodded, understanding what Gaius had done.

By making it seem like Merlin would be remaining in Camelot, he had allowed him to take his regular route to the lake, one that could not be travelled on horseback due to the denseness of the trees. Arthur and the knights would need to take the roads they had used the last time they had made the journey, taking them at least twice as long. Merlin had no doubt there would be men on foot travelling with them as well to make up the numbers Uther would no doubt believe were needed, slowing them down even further. Merlin on the other hand would be able to easily cut through the forest through his well memorised trail, allowing him to reach the lake well before the other men would.

Gaius gave him a knowing smile, patting his hand gently before suggesting he should get some sleep, moving off to ready his remedies for the morning rounds.

The next morning, Merlin watched from a window above the courtyard as the large group of men Uther had assigned to travel to the lake departed through the city gates. He waited until the last man had passed through before heading out of the castle. Walking out into the lower town, taking the route he always did, the feeling of walking this way during the day, knowing his destination and not having to keep to the shadows and out of sight slightly disorienting.

He looked towards the path, seeing the group that had just left the city far enough ahead that he wouldn't be spotted as he ran through the trees. He picked up his pace as he ran, feeling the burn in his lungs, knowing that he couldn't slow until he had covered a considerable distance. He slowed to a walk after a while, allowing himself to catch his breath whilst still moving in the direction of the lake. He couldn't help but wonder how much ground Arthur and his men had managed to cover.

He began to run again, sensing the power of the lake as he drew near, though it didn't bring the smile to his face that it usually did. When he reached the bank he knew that he would have to enter from a different direction. He was too close to the dock where the men would come out to be able to transform here. They would find his clothes too easily.

He quickly skirted the banks of the lake, hearing the questioning murmurs in his mind as they caught his scent, following him as he moved. He stopped as he reached the small rocky alcove where he had spoken with Luka the last time he had been here, immediately stripping off, throwing his clothes down onto one of the rocks below. Uttering the spell that would give him back his true form, he dived into the lake, feeling his legs rippling, morphing as he slipped into the water. He surfaced immediately, grabbing his clothes off the rock and hauling himself out of the water slightly to hide them in a small crack that had formed in the rock, out of the way of the water. They wouldn't be discovered there.

He immediately slipped back under the surface of the lake, the others that had come to greet him, watching him closely. They could see that he was not there for a social visit as he normally would be, watching as he glided past them, a determined look on his face.

They followed without question as he swam with purpose towards the hidden alcove they usually congregated in. He could hear various calls after him, the ones following him alerting the others in the lake of his arrival. He could hear them questioning his appearance as he swam not saying anything as he surfaced, pulling himself up onto the rock he usually favoured.

"Merlin?" He turned to see his mother pulling herself out of the water to settle next to him. "What's the matter? What's happened?"

"Arthur is coming." He stated softly, hearing the worried murmurs of the merpeople around him. "A man . . . came to Camelot and he knew who I really was. What I really am."

"How did he find out?" Hunith looked scared for her son as she placed a hand on his shoulder, leaning into him.

"I don't know," he looked around at the worried faces of his family. "He has convinced Uther that he knows a way to be rid of us." Those words would have sent a scared ripple through the waters had they not seen the smirk on Merlin's face as he spoke. "But that is not true."

"What is happening?" Merlin glanced over, seeing Marikan, a young mermaid with dark hair, watching him closely, his eyes glinting with fear.

"Uther has sent Arthur to the lake along with this man. He hopes that he will show him how to get rid of us."

"And we are to let him do this?" Traka, a headstrong merman moved towards Merlin, a stony expression on his face. He did not like the idea of allowing this man to come to his lake and threaten his family.

"The man knows nothing of us." Merlin scoffed and he could see that he didn't believe him. "He believes that merpeople have gained the ability to walk on the land and while in my case that may be true, we know for a fact that it is not for the rest."

"But if he identified you for what you really are," Merlin turned to his mother, seeing the fear in her eyes. "Who's to say that he won't try to use that against you?"

"He already has." Merlin chuckled, seeing his mother's disapproving look at his nonchalant attitude towards the man she saw to be a threat to her son. "He also believes that throwing water on the one believed to be a mermaid or merman will force them to revert to their original form." He shrugged and looked around, being met by numerous confused faces. "He attempted to have Uther arrest me. It would have worked if Arthur hadn't paid attention to what he said and promptly throwing a bucket of water over my head."

"So he doesn't think you're a merman anymore?" Traka asked and Merlin sighed gently.

"No, he still does but Uther and Arthur don't and that's what matters." Merlin advised and they all nodded, knowing how important it was for Merlin to remain where he was at Arthur's side.

They remained where they were, discussing what could happen when Arthur and the knights arrived. Merlin had advised that there was a large group with them and that it would take them another few hours at least if they were still travelling at the pace they had been when Merlin had seen them leave.

The roads towards the lake took them in a wide circle before doubling back to reach the lake. While Merlin had cut in a straight line through the forest, cutting out most of the journey the knights would take, they were unable to bring their horses through the forest.

Merlin wouldn't allow any harm to come to Arthur or the knights, knowing that Uther would seek some kind of retribution for the act. Uther would not see it for the lost cause it would be. There was no way for them to launch an attack on the lake and be successful. The lake's depths were far greater than any human could know, the merfolk able to dive deeper than any weapon they would be able to launch into it. There were many hiding places that were not accessible to humans where they were able to stay while the men on the banks attempted to thwart them, not realising that they were hitting nothing but water and losing their weapons in the process.

If Uther were to launch an attack on the lake, Merlin would give the rest of the merpeople free reign over the men on the banks. He knew that Arthur would stand beside his father but even so would not allow any harm to come to the prince. He was too important to lose.

But the look on Uther's face as he would have to watch his men, beguiled and drawn into the lake, walking in on their own only to be pulled beneath the depths and there being nothing he could do about it.

It bought a smirk to Merlin's lips.

It was some time later they heard and smelled the knights approaching. Sliding off the rock into the water, he emerged at the edge of the alcove, hidden by the reeds that grew in vast quantities around the lake, watching as the men approached. He was joined by several others, curious about the visitors to their home.

"The man in the black cloak." He advised lowly, setting his sights on Randall as the man stopped his horse, dismounting and walking almost cockily onto the dock. Merlin could see him looking over the lake, turning slowly as he took in the vast expanse of water in front of him. The edge of the lake ran for miles and travelling around it would take most of two days.

Not that anyone got that close.

"That is the man that threatened you?" Karina had appeared beside Merlin, almost completely submerged as she gazed at the man Merlin had pointed out.

"He is indeed." He confirmed, watching closely as he turned and walked back towards where Arthur and the knights were dismounting and tethering their horses.

"What would have us do with him?" She bit her lip, eyeing Merlin as he gave her a vicious smile back, belying his true nature that was so easily hidden by his unassuming features. Everyone in Camelot believed him to be an idiot, never realising that the majority of them, he would rather turn into a meal than have a conversation with. Seeing him as he was with his own kind, they would not be able to associate who he was in Camelot with who he was here.

"Bring him to the covered cove," he said simply, his eyes glinting as he watched him walk to the edge of the lake, not quite reaching the waters. "I want him to know the truth."

She grinned at him, letting out a quiet call as she submerged completely. Merlin felt the waters around him shift as others followed her, sinking into the depths of the lake, lying in wait to ambush the man should he get too close. It did not matter when it happened. Merfolk were a patient people, able to sit and wait for days for the right prey to come along. Waiting for this man to push his luck would not be difficult.

He watched as Arthur walked along the dock, stopping beside the small boat that was tethered there. The boat, though stable enough to carry a passenger, maybe two, had not been used in years. The stories of the lake had become too widespread for people to get too close. No one dared to climb into the boat and risk the waters.

Arthur might be the one to change that though, if Merlin knew him at all.

Merlin focused his keen hearing on the two men and found that Randall was trying to convince Arthur to drink a potion he had on him. Apparently, it would enable him to enter the lake without being detected by the merpeople that lived beneath. Merlin scoffed, wondering if the man realised that his fate had already been sealed by coming here.

It appeared that he did not as he pulled something out of a pocket and lifted it to his lips. It must have been a vial of something as he took a drink and placed it back in his pocket, holding his hands out as he turned to face Arthur, walking backwards into the water.

"Watch, my lord," his voice was arrogant as Merlin's ears picked it up from where he was hidden across the waters. "The potion allows me to enter the lake."

"You fool!" Arthur scrambled into the boat as the man continued to walk further out. What Randall didn't realise was that while he could walk for some time and only have the water at waist height, one step too many and there was a sheer drop that would have him flailing trying to keep his head above water. "Get in the boat!" Arthur managed to unhook the rope that tethered the boat to the dock, the protests of his knights completely ignored as he picked up the oars that were in the bottom of the boat and headed towards Randall who was further out than he had been last time Arthur had seen him.

"Not to worry, my lord." Randall laughed, shaking his head as Arthur approached him. "With the potion, I am perfectly safe. They cannot harm-"

His words were cut off as he was pulled sharply underneath the surface by Karina and the others, being sped back to the covered cove as Merlin had directed. Merlin watched Arthur's face drop as he watched the man disappear, realisation that he may not be safe as he sat there in the little boat. It didn't stop him from rowing quickly to where Randall had last been and leaning over to try and see where he was.

Arthur misjudged the boat, the weight of him in his armour causing the boat to tip, launching him over the edge into the water below him. Merlin cursed under his breath, diving and quickly making his way over to where Arthur was. He could see the prince, struggling to keep his head above the water, weighed down by the chainmail and armour he was wearing, unable to get a grip on the boat to haul himself up.

Hissing a warning at the others that had seen him fall, he hesitated for a moment. He knew that he had to help Arthur. He couldn't just let him drown in the lake. But in doing so, he ran the risk of Arthur seeing him. Finding out who and what he really was.

Making a decision, he swam up behind Arthur who was trying to grip the side of the boat, causing it to tip each time and not being able to pull himself back in. Before he could stop himself, Merlin grabbed Arthur's legs, propelling him upwards and into the boat, hearing him land heavily, causing the small vessel to rock.

Arthur lay there in the bottom of the small boat, wondering what on earth had just happened. One moment he had been fighting for his life against the waters weighing him down, the boat that had not wanted to take his weight allowing him to climb back in and the possibility of him meeting the same end as Randall had. The next he had been practically flying through the air, forced back into the boat by . . . _something_ below him.

He looked over the side of the boat, careful not to lean over too far lest he fall in again. He gasped when he looked into the water, seeing a slim, male waist melding into a sleek golden tail disappearing leisurely underneath the boat. He watched as it disappeared, moving to the other side, hoping to catch a glimpse of the one that had saved him, again, seeing nothing more than the tail, glittering a bright gold as its owner descended into the depths below him. He sat in the boat for a moment, his breath still coming in short pants as he realised what had happened.

A merman had saved his life.

He glanced around the surface, eyes trying to pick out whether there were any more of them lurking around before deciding not to risk it and grabbing the oars he had dropped. He quickly rowed back to the dock, the sounds of his knights, worried and frantic as they pulled him up. He was still in a slight state of shock, unable to comprehend that one of the creatures his father feared as bloodthirsty monsters had just saved his life.

Back in his hiding place in the reeds, Merlin watched as Arthur made it back to the dock and was immediately surrounded by his knights once more. Satisfied that he was safe, he turned to his mother who was next to him, a worried look on her face.

"That was incredibly risky, Merlin," she glanced between her son and the bank where the knights had withdrawn to where they had camped the last time, placing Arthur near the fire. They wouldn't travel anywhere until Arthur was ready to move. Being freezing as he had to be, Merlin knew that it wasn't going to be for a while yet.

"It needed to be done." He replied simply and she nodded. "I couldn't let him drown, mother."

"I know," she smiled, placing a hand on his cheek, her eyes filled with love for her boy. "I just worry, that's all."

"I know," he took her hand in his, placing a small kiss on her palm before she wrapped her arms around him.

"Now, onto the next thing," Merlin grinned diving down, his mother following closely.

He made his way to the covered cove, using one of the various natural tunnels that fed the water into the cove. He could hear Randall shouting at the merfolk around him, warning them to stay back. They were doing so but only because they knew Merlin wanted to toy with him before they did anything.

They had left Randal floating in the centre of the watery cove, something he was managing quite well all things considered. Merlin swam up, still completely submerged, circling the human, his tail brushing against the man's legs, causing him to tense and flail momentarily before he emerged in front of him, revelling as the man's face turned from shock to anger in a moment.

"I knew it!" He hissed, glaring at Merlin. "I knew that you were one of those filthy creatures!"

"I'd be careful what you say if I were you," Merlin warned, looking around at the various mermaids and mermen that had encircled the human who either didn't realise or didn't care that he was about to become a meal.

"It's nothing but the truth," he spat and Merlin raised an eyebrow. "And I was right after all."

"Yes, I suppose you were," Merlin shifted closer to Randall, levelling himself in the water. "And what a shame that no one will ever know it." Merlin grinned as the man's eyes widened, the reality of his situation appearing to finally sink in. "You see, Arthur and the others think you're already dead, most likely devoured as you were pulled beneath the surface. And, let's face it, you're not getting out of here alive."

"Why don't you just kill me, then?" Randall snarled and Merlin laughed shaking his head. "You're going to eat me anyway."

"Me?" Merlin raised an eyebrow, smirk still firmly in place. "No. I personally wouldn't want even a taste of you. My experience with you in Camelot was enough to put a sour taste in my mouth at the mere thought of you. Them, on the other hand," Merlin motioned to the grinning merfolk around them, "they're quite hungry."

Merlin moved away from him, a menacing grin on his face as he settled himself on a rock. As if a silent signal had been given the mermaids and mermen that had been surrounding Randall all launched, dragging him below the surface, giving the man no chance to scream or even attempt to cry out for help. They may quick work of him, a pool of red appearing in the water as Merlin smirked, knowing that at least that threat to his existence in Camelot had been eradicated.

He slid off the rock and made his way through the twisting tunnels that led him out into the lake. He could tell that night was beginning to fall and he breached the surface for a moment before sinking back down, seeing the knights had built fires to keep themselves warm. They would not be going back to Camelot tonight and Merlin made out Arthur, out of his chainmail which had been left to dry. He rolled his eyes, knowing that he would be the one that would be cleaning it once Arthur returned to Camelot.

Satisfied that the knights were settling themselves down for the night, Merlin dived once again, seeking out his mother and the cave deep below the surface that she and Merlin had shared before he had left for Camelot.

And for the first time in three years, Merlin curled up and fell asleep with his mother, peaceful and content in her arms.


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

It was just before dawn broke that Merlin awoke, slipping out of his mother's hold and out of the cave they had settled in. He quickly crossed the lake, emerging just enough to see the knights and Arthur still sound asleep on the bank. He lifted himself from the water, his eyes set on the prince that could have so very easily lost his life the day before.

Maybe his act of saving Arthur would go some way to changing the prince's mind out his kind. Maybe he would be able to see that they were not just the bloodthirsty monsters he thought they were. Merlin's head snapped to the side as he noticed movement, one of the knights had woken and in doing so, Arthur had begun to stir. He quickly dived, not wanting to risk being seen by either of them, fearing that even from this distance, they may just recognise him as he floated near them.

Arthur was alright and that was all he needed to know for the moment.

Arthur stirred, sensing movement near him and he opened his eyes to see Sir Leon sitting up. He too sat up, rubbing his eyes and looking out over the lake that had very nearly claimed his life the day before.

"Sire!" Leon placed a hand on his shoulder, pointing out towards the lake. Arthur followed his gaze and gasped, seeing the same sleek golden tail he had seen underneath the boat disappearing beneath the surface of the lake.

"It's the same one," Arthur whispered, standing up, searching the surface, wanting to find another glimpse of the creature that had saved his life the day before. "I'm sure of it."

"What do you think it wanted?" Leon asked, coming to stand next to Arthur, looking at the prince uncertainly.

"I don't know." Arthur muttered, letting out a sigh. He had wanted to see the merman that had pushed him back into the boat. Wanting to know what he looked like for some reason. Part of him wanted to thank him, knowing that he could have very easily met the same fate as Randall most surely had. Instead of killing him, the merman had saved his life, pushing him back into the small boat and allowing him to escape with his life.

He didn't really know what to make of the events of the day before. He had known that Randall's potion wouldn't work. He had always been told that the merpeople that lived in the lake were nothing but savage monsters that would sooner make a meal of you than anything else.

So why hadn't this one?

"Are you alright, Arthur?" He turned to see Leon watching him closely, an uncertain look in the knight's eyes.

"Yes," Arthur sighed, looking back to the lake, part of him knowing that he wouldn't be seeing any more glimpses of the flashes of gold he wanted.

"Thinking about yesterday, sire?" Leon asked and Arthur nodded, turning back to their camp and sitting on his bedroll.

"I just don't know why he saved me." Arthur shook his head, watching as the dawn light flickered across the tiny waves created on the surface of the lake by the gentle wind that was blowing. "We've always been told that they're nothing more than monsters that devour any human they come across. If that were true, then why save me? Why not kill me like they did Randall?"

"I don't know, sire." Leon sighed, following Arthur's gaze out towards the water. "There's only one I know that might know."

"Gaius." Arthur nodded, not wanting to spend too much longer at the lake. They knew what lurked under the surface and what they could do. They had seen it themselves the day before. The way Randall had just vanished beneath the surface, not having any chance to even cry out. Arthur had never seen anything like it. He had seen men killed in the most gruesome ways on the battlefield and at the hands of sorcery but there was something so final about Randall's death. He knew that he wouldn't have lasted long under the waves.

Merlin watched from his hiding place amongst the reeds as the men began to stir, making fires and eating the rations they had brought with them for breakfast. It wouldn't be too much longer before they started to pack up and leave, having received the answers they needed.

Randall had been a fake and the creatures of the lake were not all that they seemed.

"Merlin?" He turned to see his mother behind him as she followed his line of sight towards the bank where the knights had started to pack up their things. "Will you be back this full moon?"

He sighed, feeling himself deflate a little. "I don't know, mother." He looked at her seeing a sad smile on her face. "With Uther's interest in the lake, I don't know whether I'll be able to get here unnoticed."

"I understand." She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close to her. It would never matter how big he grew or how old he got, he would always be her baby boy, the last gift his father had given her. A blessing.

Merlin waited until the knights had left before making his way to the alcove he had hidden his clothes, quickly pulling them out of the crack he had placed them in and pulling himself out of the water, muttering the spell that would turn him human. Drying himself off with a quick muttered spell, he dressed, casting one last look at the lake before skirting round the banks of the lake to the path that would allow him to take his usual path back to Camelot.

Merlin arrived back in Camelot long before the knights did, allowing him to see to it that he had everything he needed to for Arthur finished. He knew the prince would be confused when he returned from the lake and a confused Arthur was not always in the best mood.

He and Gaius were sitting down to have their midday meal, well, Gaius was. Merlin just made it look like he was in case someone came to Gaius's chambers as they tended to.

"Arthur will probably be coming up soon." Merlin said softly, flicking through one of Gaius's books on herb lore as he heard the group of knights enter the courtyard. Gaius looked up at him, eyebrow raised and Merlin gave him a smile. "They've just got back. He'll most likely report to his father and then come here. He has some questions."

"That you're not going to enlighten me on?" Gaius went back to his meal as Merlin shook his head. They were Arthur's questions to ask the physician, not Merlin's. "Are you going to tell me anything about what happened at the lake?"

Merlin shook his head, turning a page. "It would be too obvious if you had prior knowledge of what happened there. Trust me, if I told you, Arthur would know."

"You think so?" Gaius raised another eyebrow at Merlin, questioning his words and Merlin nodded.

"Definitely." His eyes flicked up to Gaius's and held his gaze. "It's best if you hear it from Arthur. Anyway, he has a different perspective on the events than I do."

"Ah yes, one above and one below the surface of the water." Gaius smirked and Merlin rolled his eyes, chuckling lightly.

His smile dropped as he remembered leaving the lake. It had been nice to wake up to his mother being there, surrounded by the calming safeness of the water. He had felt like he had come home. Leaving it had been harder this time and he knew that it was because he had spent the night there, slept in the comfort of his home when he hadn't done so before. It made him long for the water more than he normally did.

Merlin gave Gaius a smirk when not too long afterward, Arthur knocked on the door, stepping inside, clearly wanting answers to some serious questions he had.

"Sire," Gaius looked between Merlin and Arthur as the prince walked into the room, sitting in the same seat he had claimed the few days before, when he had advised that Uther wanted him to travel to the lake. "Is there something I can help you with?"

"Yes, Gaius," he sighed, running his hands down his face. "I need to know some things about . . . about the merpeople that live in the Lake of Avalon."

Gaius resisted looking at Merlin as he turned to address the prince. "What is it, Arthur? Did something happen at the lake?"

"Randall is dead." He stated simply and Gaius blinked, once again resisting the urge to look at Merlin. He didn't need the confirmation to know that it was the merpeople at the lake that had caused Randall's demise. "The fool walked into the lake."

"He _walked_ into the lake?" Gaius now _did_ look at Merlin who had pasted a look of shock onto his face.

"Yes," Arthur nodded, "he walked into the lake boasting that the potion he had on him would allow him to remain undetected. He claimed that it would allow us to enter the lake and get rid of the merpeople in there and they would not see us coming." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I followed him out into the lake, in a boat, mind you," he added quickly seeing Gaius's shocked look. "One moment he was there and the next he was gone. They'd taken him, snatched him from the surface in a moment."

"He really believed that he could avoid those in the lake?" Gaius looked to Merlin who shook his head, a confused expression on his face.

"There's more," Arthur's tone was serious as the physician turned to look at him. "I tried to see if I could see him, even though I knew that he was gone. I leaned over too far and I . . . fell into the lake."

"Arthur!" Gaius's eyes flicked over the prince, as though he was trying to find any wounds even though he knew that Merlin would not have allowed the prince to be hurt in any way.

"It was strange, Gaius," Arthur bit his lip before continuing. "After having seen Randall grabbed like he was, I thought for sure that I was next. I couldn't get back into the boat. My chainmail, my armour, I just couldn't get a grip on it. But . . . the next thing I know, I'm practically _flying_ through the air as something pushed me back in."

"You were pushed back into the boat, sire?" Gaius immediately knew who it was that had saved Arthur's life. He knew that Arthur hadn't seen who it was as he would have recognised Merlin immediately if he had.

"Yes. I wasn't able to see their face. Only their tail as they swam underneath the boat and away from me." He looked up at Gaius seeing the astonished look on the physician's face. "It was beautiful, Gaius. I've never seen one before."

"Few have."

Arthur shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "It was at least six or seven feet long, and that was just his tail. Shimmering golden, under the water."

"A _golden_ tail, sire?" Gaius sounded shocked and Arthur nodded, a curious look on his face. "Forgive me, sire but a golden tail among merpeople has never been heard of before. Could you have been mistaken?"

"Not a chance, Gaius." Arthur shook his head, resolute. "I know what I saw. You said that a golden tail was unheard of. What colours are they normally?"

"Oh they can be any manner of colour, sire." Gaius smiled at the astonished look on Arthur's face. "Before the Purge, I spent much time researching the merpeople. They can be any colour you can imagine, sire. But a golden one has never been heard of before."

"I still don't understand why they would kill Randall and yet save me." Arthur leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

"You said that he was boasting about a potion?" Gaius asked and Arthur nodded.

"One that would make it so the merpeople couldn't detect him. That it could be used to destroy them." He confirmed.

"It is possible that they felt threatened," Gaius suggested and Merlin had to stop himself from staring at the physician in confusion. What on earth would they have to feel threatened about? "Merpeople have extremely keen hearing. They would have most likely heard your approach to the lake from the depths and come to investigate. Hearing him speaking of them in that way would have elicited an instinctual response in them."

"And they attacked him to protect their home." Arthur murmured and Gaius nodded. "But that doesn't explain why one of them saved my life."

"Possibly for the exact same reason," Gaius could see that his explanation didn't really make sense to the prince. "Merpeople aren't evil, sire. They're not monsters. They're creatures of magic, yes but that doesn't automatically mean that they are evil."

"They eat humans, Gaius."

"As do many other creatures that are not magical." Gaius reasoned and Arthur closed his mouth, unable to retort. "They are not mindless beasts, sire. It is likely that the one that saved you did so because he saw that you were in trouble. He did not see you as a threat at that point."

Arthur sighed as he took in the information Gaius had just given him. What the physician had just told him conflicted with everything he knew. Arthur knew Gaius to be sympathetic to magical creatures and would have believed his words to be nothing more than that if he had not been through what he had the day before.

"It was beautiful, Gaius." He said softly and Gaius raised an eyebrow at him in question. "It sounds strange but . . . that merman's tail was probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Like liquid gold."

"They do say they are a sight to behold, sire." Gaius agreed nodding to himself. He had seen Merlin in his true form for himself and knew how breath-taking the sight of his tail could be. Gaius could do nothing but agree with Arthur's assessment of Merlin in his true form.

"You're quiet over there," Arthur said suddenly and Merlin raised an eyebrow in question. "You've normally got some kind of opinion."

"Well, I wasn't there so how could I?" Merlin shot back and Arthur rolled his eyes, not seeing the glance he and Gaius exchanged. "What matters is what _you_ think, Arthur."

"I don't know what to think." He shook his head looking between the two men in front of him. "All I've ever heard is that they're evil. That they're monsters. But if that were so then _why_ would one of them help me? Why would he save me? My father believes that they're evil."

"Did you tell him about the merman pushing you back into the boat?" Merlin asked and Arthur nodded.

"He said that there was an explanation for it but being creatures of magic, they were not to be trusted."

"You don't think that?" Merlin tried to keep the hope out of his voice but wasn't sure if he was successful. If Arthur's attitude to magic were to change there was hope for their shared destiny.

"I don't know." He sighed, shaking his head before getting up. He looked back at Gaius, thanking him before leaving the room, closing the door quietly behind him.

Gaius turned to face Merlin who gave him an innocent smile at the levelled stare that had been shot his way. "That's why you didn't want to tell me what happened?" Gaius asked, referring to the fact that Merlin had saved Arthur while in his true form. Merlin didn't say anything, knowing the old man too well to know he wanted an answer. "Merlin, what you did was very risky."

"I know," he nodded, letting out a small sigh. "But I couldn't let him drown. The others wouldn't have gone for him but he wouldn't have been able to get back in the boat. His armour made him too heavy."

"You did a good thing, Merlin." Gaius said softly and Merlin nodded, putting the bowl he had been using as a masquerade to one side before getting up and getting on with his chores.

It was later that evening when Merlin returned to his chambers, a resigned look on his face. "Remind me to never to save Arthur's life again."

"What has he done now?" Gaius asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"He's still conflicted about what happened at the lake and when he's conflicted, he's moody and guess who he takes it out on?" Merlin held out his arms, indicating himself and Gaius chuckled. All through Merlin's moaning, he knew that the young man found some kind of hope at the thought of Arthur being conflicted about what had happened. It meant that he was no longer just blindingly following what Uther told him. He was questioning things.

Merlin wrinkled his nose at the smell of the supper Gaius was making himself. Thinking back, it had been a few days since Merlin had eaten and he made a mental note to pick up some meat from the hunter the next day. Hopefully he would have caught something of a decent size. To this day, Merlin's reaction to the various human foods amused Gaius, especially considering as the prince's servant, he was often required at various feasts and the like.

Over the next few days Gaius attempted to get Uther to leave the lake and the merpeople alone but the king would not heed his words. It seemed that Uther was more outraged that one of them had helped Arthur than the fact that they had killed the man that had taken him to the lake.

Uther had tightened the patrols surrounding the ways into the lake. He ensured that no one got within a certain distance of it, clearly trying to stop anyone getting near to the lake.

Not that any of that stopped Merlin.

He had still managed to get to and from the lake on the full moon. Uther hadn't assigned anyone to patrol the woods surrounding the city, only on the roads meaning that there was no one to see Merlin on his way to and from the lake. His visit had been far more relaxed than the last two had been, no threat of the knights or Arthur to see him for who he was.

He still had to deal with Arthur's moodiness with regards to the lake and what had happened but Merlin knew how to deal with that. Majority of the time it was avoiding whatever it was that Arthur had thrown at him.

Every time he saw Arthur possibly coming around to the fact that not all magic was evil, he warred within himself about possibly revealing who he was but then something to do with magic would happen and he would go back to where he was before. Merlin knew that every time something or someone attacked Camelot or Arthur with magic, it worked against everything Merlin subtly tried to achieve by being at Arthur's side.

"There are reports of Cenred's men crossing the borders. We'll likely be gone for a couple of days," Arthur stated as he walked into the room. Merlin nodded, grabbing the protective gear that Arthur would need for under his chainmail. Getting the prince into his armour was second nature to Merlin after the length of time he had been doing it. Once that was done, he quickly made his way down to the kitchens requesting enough food to last Arthur and himself for a couple of days. If that didn't last them long enough, then they would have to fall back on the hunting skills they possessed. Well, to be honest, it would most likely be the knights hunting as he didn't think his style would go down too well.

That done, he quickly made his way to Gaius's chambers, grabbing enough supplies to last for the time they would be gone, exiting the castle via the kitchens to grab the food that had been prepared and meet up with Arthur and the knights outside.

Even having done all that, he was still outside before the rest of them, loading up what he would need onto his horse as Arthur arrived with Sir Leon and a couple of other knights. They all mounted their respective horses and quickly left the city.

Merlin, in part, was relieved that what they had been called out for had nothing to do with the lake. Recently it seemed that that was all Uther could focus on. He was starting to lose his mind over the perceived threat of the lake, having taken the now dead Randall's warnings about the merpeople being able to give themselves legs seriously. Of course, Merlin knew that part of what he had been told was true but Uther had no idea that the man that had been accused was actually guilty of that particular act.

He dreaded to think what would actually happen if he were discovered in his true form.

They set up camp for the night, the duties of collecting firewood and setting up the food for the rest of them falling to Merlin as they all laughed and joked around the fire. Merlin knew that this was how it was always going to be. He was the servant. It was his job to carry out all of the menial tasks when out on patrol but he always felt that they should have been able to do at least one little thing for themselves.

Merlin groaned lightly when the first light of dawn invaded his senses, forcing him awake. He sat up, rubbing his eyes as he looked around the camp, seeing all the knights were still asleep. He rolled his eyes, chuckling to himself. As a servant, he was automatically up before the others. He didn't really think that the nobles realised how early their servants had to rise to be able to get everything ready for them in their day to day lives. Merlin was up as the sun began to rise on a daily basis so he could get everything ready for Arthur when he rose in the morning.

Pulling himself up, he rolled up his bedroll, standing and attaching it to the back of his saddle where he normally laid it and walking back over to the remains of the fire from the previous night. Clearing away some of the ash, he piled on some new sticks that he had gathered the night before. He lit the fire quickly, grabbing the pot heading to the stream that wasn't far off, filling it and making his way back to the camp.

Setting it above the fire, there wasn't much more he could do while he waited for the water to heat up. He started to prepare the breakfast for the knights as they started to stir, moaning as they sat up. Merlin smiled to himself as he made the breakfast, knowing that no matter how many times they went out on patrol, the nobles would never become used to sleep anywhere but their comfortable beds.

And they thought that servants were weak. Servants were hardier and stronger than the nobles thought they were, having to haul everything their masters needed around.

They came to their senses quickly upon realising that Merlin had made breakfast, Arthur being the first to grab a bowl. They happily tucked into their food while Merlin started to pack up the camp. He found it incredible that in all the time he had gone out on patrol with Arthur and the others, they had never noticed that he didn't eat the breakfast when there wasn't some kind of meat involved.

It wasn't long before Merlin had the pots and bowls washed and packed away in the saddle bags on his horse and they were on their way. Arthur had them follow the main path for about half an hour before he had them dismount and tether their horses, looking for a more discreet route through the forest.

They were searching for any sign that there had been anyone through the area. Arthur had consulted the patrol reports the day before, wanting to make sure before they left that no one had been through on a patrol. It was outside the usual areas where travellers passed through so any sign of human activity would be treated with suspicion.

They were about to give up on finding anything in this area and head back to the horses when the knights heard a yell, turning to see Arthur falling down the side of the bank next to the large river they were searching by. They all ran to the bank seeing Arthur trying to grab onto some of the rocks in the river, not able to get a grip on anything, the current sweeping him off and his gloves wet, preventing any grip.

Merlin broke away from the stunned knights, racing down the river bank, keeping Arthur in his sights. How many times had he accused Merlin of being clumsy when he was constantly nearly getting killed himself?

Merlin glanced behind him, seeing the knights following him as he increased his speed, trying to keep pace with Arthur. He cursed to himself as he eyed the current that had hold of Arthur. There was no way the prince was going to be able to latch onto anything going that speed.

Making a decision that he knew would most likely end his time in Camelot, he gauged where Arthur was and panicked slightly, not being able to see him.

" _Álíese sé_ _hagorún."_ He hissed as he veered closer to the river, not paying any attention to the knights behind him as he heard them catching up. _"_ _Áwréon sé_ _sóþsegen gesceap."_ He threw himself into the river, feeling his legs melding, ripping through his breeches and boots as he ripped through the water. He heard the knights shouting his name as he jumped but he paid them no heed. Arthur was what was important.

Underneath the water, the current was still strong but not strong enough to hinder Merlin. He scanned the area around, seeing the glint of Arthur's chainmail under the water. He had become caught on an errant rock and he could see that he was losing strength as he fought to free himself. Feeling the tightness in his chest of what he was about to do, he approached Arthur who didn't seem to notice that he was approaching.

Arthur could feel his strength waning as his lungs burned, desperate for air as he tried to unhook his chainmail from where it had caught on a rock, pulling him underneath the surface of the rushing river. He had been checking for footprints at the top of the bank when the ground had given way beneath him, causing him to plummet into the water below.

He could barely move his arms, his eyes closing on him as he noticed a familiar glint in the water in front of him. He couldn't understand why he was seeing it here. They were nowhere near the Lake of Avalon and as far as Arthur was aware, this wasn't one of the rivers that fed into the lake. Convinced that he was seeing things as it approached him, he started as he felt the chainmail loosen and something grab him. His instincts kicking in, he fought back, catching sight of an extremely familiar brown jacket that was attached onto a familiar looking tail.

 _No! It couldn't be_.

Merlin quickly unhooked the chainmail from where it was caught on the rock, grabbing Arthur underneath the armpits and pulling him towards the surface. He felt Arthur start to struggle as he broke the surface, having regained some of his senses as Merlin moved. Knowing that he was awake, Merlin wouldn't be able to get out of the fact that Arthur would know what he was.

He managed to get Arthur to the bank, forcing him up onto one of the large rocks on the side of the river, thankful when he heard Arthur start coughing knowing that he was alive and safe. He pulled away from the rock Arthur was on, latching onto another one as Arthur regained his senses, pushing himself up onto his forearms as he caught his breath. He closed his eyes for a moment, a look Merlin couldn't properly see on his face. He slowly turned to face Merlin, a sad look on his face as he took in his servant.

"He was right, wasn't he?" He rasped, not taking his eyes off of Merlin who didn't answer him. "Randall was right."

"Yes," Merlin confirmed quietly, avoiding Arthur's eyes.

Arthur let out a small chuckle, shaking his head, before looking at Merlin. "And no one knew." Merlin knew that he wasn't expecting an answer. He looked up to the bank, hearing the knights yelling for the both of them. "You were the one that saved my life." It wasn't a question and Merlin nodded. Arthur looked back up to where the knights would be finding them any moment. "Go."

Merlin pushed away from the rock, confused as he watched the prince. "What?"

"You saved my life back in the lake and here." Arthur pushed himself up, looking at Merlin, his eyes dark as he watched him with trepidation and suspicion. "Though I have no idea why, you did. And I'm letting you go because of that." He sighed, a small cough making its way out. "But don't come back to Camelot. There's no telling what the knights saw and I won't be able to protect you should you come back."

Merlin felt his heart clench at Arthur's words. He knew them to be right, knowing that there was a chance the knights had seen or heard what he had done. Camelot wasn't safe for him anymore.

Although he still had a little hope.

He was something that Arthur had been taught to fear. Arthur had been struggling with how to deal with the knowledge that Gaius had given him about the merpeople in the lake and the fact that he hadn't immediately tried to kill Merlin gave him a little hope. The first place Arthur had come across him was in the lake and he had to hope that at some point, if and when he was ready, he would think to look there for Merlin.

His head snapping up to where the knights were getting closer to them, he looked back at Arthur, a sad look on his face. "Thank you," his whispered, diving beneath the surface, giving Arthur one last glimpse of the glittering golden tail as he disappeared.

Merlin quickly navigated the river, ripping off the rest of his clothes as he went, being in too much of a rush to get to Arthur to think about having to remove his clothes.

Knowing what river he was in would help as he made his way back to the lake. All of them interconnected in different places, interlinking to forge a criss-cross across the land.

Taking a deep breath as he reached a slower moving part of the river, he sank to the bottom, his head dropping as he clenched his eyes closed. He couldn't go back to Camelot. Without being there in Camelot, how was he supposed to fulfil his destiny? He sat up, pulling himself together as he pushed off, slowly making his way towards where the river he was in joined with another that would take him closer to the lake. He had had to do what he did. If he hadn't, Arthur would have drowned and he couldn't have allowed that to happen.

He just had to hope that Arthur would forgive him for the lies and deceit.

Only time would tell.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

Arthur sat there for the moments after Merlin had disappeared, staring at the spot he had last seen the servant, unable to take his eyes away from it.

"Arthur!" He looked up, seeing Leon and the other two knights looking down at him. He stood, legs slightly shaky as he accepted the hand that Leon held out to him, pulling him up onto the bank. "We feared the worst, sire."

"I'm fine," he nodded, feeling the weight of his armour now that he was out of the water and standing. "I'm alright."

"Merlin?" Sir Ranulf asked, glancing at the others. Arthur dropped his head, letting out a sigh, wondering what the knights had seen. "Sire . . ."

"When Merlin jumped into the river after you, we saw . . ." Leon trailed off looking at the other knights.

"We don't think he's human, sire." Sir Murdoc finished for them and Arthur knew that they had seen Merlin change. Arthur ran a hand through his soaked hair, letting out a sigh.

"He isn't," he admitted and the others stood there in shock. "He isn't human."

"What happened?" Leon asked, his stance tense, glancing to the river, as though Merlin was going to launch himself out of the water and attack them where they stood. "Where is he?"

"I let him go," Arthur admitted to them, earning shocked gasps and a choking noise from Leon.

"Sire!" He looked to Leon, seeing the shocked and concerned expression on the knight's face. "Sire, you know what he is and . . . How could you let him go?"

"He saved my life." Arthur stated sternly, looking at the knights in front of him. "Not only here but . . . Leon he was the one that saved my life at the lake." Leon blinked in surprise at the revelation that Merlin was the one that had saved Arthur. "He knew that he risked exposing himself if he did so but he risked everything to save my life. He's been my servant for the last three years and never has he done anything that would harm anyone in Camelot."

"How do we know that wasn't just a ruse to get close to you, sire?" Ranulf questioned and Arthur levelled him with a look.

"If he'd wanted to do me or any of us any harm, why would he have waited for so long? If that was what he wanted he had ample time and opportunity to do it. But he didn't." Arthur reasoned and they didn't have any response for him. "Look, I know that . . . with what we just saw, it would be easy to convince ourselves that Merlin wanted to do us harm but . . . ever since what happened at the lake, I'm not so sure that that is the case. With Merlin or the merpeople."

He started to walk back to where they had tethered the horses, wanting to at least start making their way back to Camelot.

"I spoke to Gaius after we got back from the lake." Arthur explained as they walked, knowing that the knights were extremely sceptical of his words. "What he said made sense. He said that it was likely that they felt threatened and that's why they attacked Randall."

"Sire," Leon sighed as they reached the horses, "do you really believe that Merlin . . ."

"Isn't evil?" Arthur supplied and Leon nodded, still slightly unsure. "I do. He's had ample time to kill me or do harm to Camelot and he's never done anything to harm any of us even though now we know that he could. I don't believe that Merlin is evil and . . . I don't think the rest of them are, either."

"Sire, they eat humans." Ranulf argued and Arthur nodded, remembering the conversation he'd had with Gaius.

"And as Gaius told me, so do a lot of animals that aren't magical." They had the same look he reasoned that he must've given Gaius. "He said that they're not mindless beasts and . . . now . . . knowing that Merlin is one of them . . . I believe him. They may be magical creatures but they're not evil."

"What do you suggest we do, sire?" Leon asked, looking at the other two. He knew that if Arthur was questioning whether they were evil there was a good reason. The three of them trusted their prince and would do as he wished them to.

Arthur thought for a moment. He trusted his knights implicitly and he knew that they would do as he asked, no matter what it was. Hell, Leon had even ridden out to face a _dragon_ with him. But what he was considering would be asking them to commit treason.

"Let him go." Arthur said softly and the knights glanced at each other, slightly worried. "If it wasn't for him, I would have drowned in the lake and today. I owe him my life. I can't repay that by launching a hunt for him. Magical creature or not."

"We understand, sire." Leon nodded and the other two did as well. "We will not speak of this to anyone. You have my word."

"And mine." Sir Ranulf nodded and Sir Murdoc repeated the sentiment.

Arthur gave the three men a small smile, knowing that what he had just asked them to do went against everything they had come to believe. Out of all of them, Leon was the only one old enough to remember the time before the Great Purge, being a young boy when it had begun. He knew that not all those with magic were evil and yet could not have said anything or else risk the pyre himself.

"We tell the people back in Camelot that Merlin was lost to the river." Arthur advised and they nodded. "We tell them that he jumped in after me without any thought for himself." That part was true at least. "That he managed to help me get to the bank but couldn't withstand the current himself. That he was taken downriver and we couldn't find a trace of him."

"People may believe that he is alive, sire." Ranulf advised, worried that the story may backfire.

"If we tell them that he is dead then people will be expecting a body." Arthur reasoned, turning back to his horse. "And if we say that we buried him out here then the people that were close to him will want to know where so they can pay their respects." Arthur knew that there would be those that would miss the servant. He was someone that had everyone smiling no matter what mood they were in. Arthur had to admit that even when he was in the darkest of moods, Merlin had the ability to bring him out of them – not that he would ever admit that to the man – and he seemed to acquire friends no matter where he went.

He would be missed.

He climbed onto his horse, looking down at the other men. "Yes, people may believe that he is alive if we tell them that we couldn't find him but it will also serve its purpose in ensuring that no one will want proof of his death." Arthur sighed, shaking his head slightly. "And we all know that my father will never allow a search for a servant. Even if he saved my life."

They all nodded, hearing the slight pain in the prince's voice as he thought about how little Merlin was actually valued in the eyes of the king and kingdom. The prince had never admitted it out loud but the knights knew that he and Merlin had a bond, a friendship that they could never really hope to understand. Even though the chance of that friendship still being there was slim to none, they realised that the prince wouldn't allow any harm to come to Merlin. His honour wouldn't allow it.

The ride back to Camelot was slow, the empty mount that had been Merlin's glaringly obvious. He tried to piece together whether it was something he should have seen. Whether he should have caught that Merlin wasn't human.

But even studying everything he could remember about his servant, nothing he said or did had given anything away.

All Arthur could think about was how he was going to explain to Gaius that Merlin had been lost to the river.

The thought of Gaius had Arthur sitting up a little straighter. Gaius had to have known about Merlin. There wasn't any way he couldn't have. He had to have known that Merlin wasn't human. When Merlin had first come to Camelot, he had explained that Merlin was the son of an old friend of his who had died many years ago. His mother had just passed away and she had entrusted Merlin into his care after she was gone.

How much of that was true, Arthur didn't know but he knew that after reporting to his father, he would be having a long talk with Gaius about what he did and didn't know about the man who he had taken in as his ward for three years.

They didn't stop as the sun started to set, knowing that Camelot was not far off and aware that they only had to stick to the main road to get back to the city gates. The guards called out as they approached and Arthur quickly dismounted, knowing that his father would have been called as soon as he had been recognised.

His father met him in the council chambers, along with Morgana who had clearly risen from bed, based on her nightclothes and Gaius who had been in there with his father.

He stiffly gave the report that they had not managed to find any inclination of Cenred's men in the area they had patrolled and that it didn't appear an attack on Camelot was imminent from Cenred's men. It had been Morgana that had questioned Merlin's whereabouts, not seeing the servant who was always at Arthur's side, just as Gwen was at hers. He relayed the story he and the knights had come up with, hearing the gasp from Morgana and watching Gaius deflate as the news was given.

So either Gaius wasn't aware of Merlin's true form or he was just an incredibly good actor.

"And there no sign of him?" Uther asked, stepping away from the table he had been stood next to and Arthur shook his head.

"We searched up and down the river but . . . the current was too strong. We couldn't find any trace of him." Arthur filled his voice with as much regret as he could, all the while knowing the truth. Knowing that Merlin was perfectly fine under the water, safe from his father's clutches as he was no longer in Camelot.

"A noble end indeed," Uther muttered and Arthur felt himself tense at the words. His father clearly felt nothing for the loss of the servant, no matter how close to his son he had been.

"My Lord," Gaius stood up, bowing to the king. "If you'll excuse me." He didn't wait for a response before leaving the council chambers with haste, the king watching him with confusion.

"Merlin was Gaius's ward, Father," Arthur reminded him and Uther nodded, glancing to Morgana. "He was like a son to him. I'm sure he'll need some time." Uther nodded, dismissing the meeting and Arthur nodded before leaving the rooms, following Gaius to his chambers on the other side of the castle.

He stood outside the physician's door, hesitating and taking a deep breath before he knocked on the wood in front of him. He heard Gaius's quiet call to enter before stepping through the doorway, seeing the old man sitting at the desk, one of Merlin's neck scarves in his hand. He looked up at Arthur, before looking back down at the material in his hand. Arthur closed the door, stepping towards Gaius slowly, watching the old man.

"I'm sorry, Gaius," he whispered, sitting down on the other side of the table, linking his hands in front of him. "We looked but . . . there was no sign of him." Gaius didn't say anything, only nodding and Arthur knew he had to figure out if Gaius had known about Merlin. If he hadn't and he told him of Merlin's true form then it could break the man's heart even further but if he had, then Arthur might be able to get some answers. "He may still be alive."

"He might be," Gaius responded softly, a small smile on his face.

"Just because we didn't find anything, doesn't mean that he's . . ." Arthur couldn't bring himself to say the word, even though he knew that it didn't apply to Merlin. "He might be a better swimmer than we thought."

"He is, sire." Gaius confirmed and Arthur nodded. "He is a very good swimmer but if the river was as strong as you say . . ."

"Still, there might be a chance." Arthur tried to appear optimistic to the old man who gave him a small smile back, his eyes immediately dropping once again to the blue material he held. Arthur bit his lip, the impression that skirting around the issue of what he wanted to know wasn't going to work. "It was strange."

"What was, sire?" Gaius looked up at him,

"When I was under the water, when my chainmail caught on the rock, I saw something that didn't fit," Gaius raised an eyebrow at him, curious. "A golden tail, Gaius." He saw a look of shock on the old man's face before he managed to school his expression to show a look of confusion.

"But from your report, it would seem that you were nowhere near the Lake of Avalon."

"We weren't." Arthur confirmed, leaning towards Gaius slightly. "Unless what that man Randall said was right." His voice had lowered to a whisper and Gaius blinked in shock at his words, knowing that the prince had found Merlin out. He had saved the prince, as was his duty and had exposed himself in doing so. "And he was, wasn't he, Gaius?" The physician said nothing and Arthur sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I know, Gaius. I know about Merlin. I know that he's not human and that he was the one to save my life in the lake."

"Sire," Gaius was the one to lean forward this time, a look of worry on his face. "What did you do?"

"I let him go," Arthur responded and Gaius had to admit that he was stunned. Arthur had been brought up to know nothing else other than magic and magical creatures were evil and could not be trusted. And Merlin being a merman would certainly fall into that category. "I . . ." he let out a sigh, shaking his head. "I just can't . . . even knowing what Merlin is, that he's not human . . . I can't see him as evil, Gaius."

"That's because he's not, Arthur," Gaius reasoned, his grip on the neck scarf in his hand tightening. "As I said before, just because they are magical creatures, doesn't mean they are evil. Merpeople are incredibly intelligent creatures, Arthur. They are capable of all the thought and emotions that we as humans are and nothing is more important to them than protecting those that they care about."

"And that's why Merlin risked everything to save me," Arthur muttered and Gaius nodded.

"It is, sire."

"Where will he go now?" Arthur was curious to find out as he knew that the river they had been in did not connect to the Lake of Avalon where the rest of them dwelled.

"He will most likely return to the lake, sire." Gaius said simply and Arthur blinked, confused. "There are many rivers that join onto one another sire. It will not be hard for Merlin to manoeuvre his way through them to get back to the lake."

"As long as he's alright," Arthur muttered before standing up and bidding Gaius goodnight. The old man watched as he walked out, knowing that Arthur would have a lot to think about and it was entirely possible Gaius would be seeing a lot more of the prince.

Over the next few weeks, Arthur felt Merlin's loss more than he thought he would. Especially considering he knew that he was alive. Or at least hoped he was. Who knew if anything was a threat to a merman? He had seriously thought about travelling to the lake more than once to try and find him but at the same time, he reasoned about why should he?

He had allowed Merlin to live, something that he, even as the crown prince could be punished for considering it would be seen as treason. He didn't owe Merlin anything, did he? Yes he had saved his life but essentially, he had done the same for Merlin. His coming back to Camelot wouldn't have been possible. With him going back to where he belonged, he was safe and it was easier to tell people that he had been lost to the river rather than having the servant try to explain how he had saved the prince.

More than anything, he found he missed the young man. He hadn't ever admitted it out loud but Merlin had been his friend and knowing that he had lied to him for three years made Arthur angry. His new servant was nothing like Merlin and Arthur was grateful. He neither looked nor behaved anything like the prince's prior servant had and Arthur found it easier to cope with Merlin being gone.

Letting out a frustrated groan, he pushed away from his desk and quickly made his way to Gaius's chambers. He had managed to avoid asking the physician anything about Merlin since he had come back to Camelot but he was getting nowhere on his own. He needed answers and if anyone was going to be able to give them to him, it was Gaius.

He didn't bother knocking as he walked into Gaius chambers, startling the old man somewhat. One look at the prince's face and Gaius knew why he was there. He had finally had enough of trying to work everything out in his own mind, needing some answers.

"Sire, what can I do for you?" Gaius asked, placing the rag he had been using to clean various pots on his worktop down before approaching the prince.

"I . . ." Arthur sighed, placing his hands on his hips and he tried to work out what he wanted to say. "I need to know, Gaius. I need to know everything you know about Merlin."

"I had a feeling you might," the physician answered with a sly grin as he sat down at the table. "To be honest, Arthur, I thought that you would have come long before now. Not usually one to wait so long."

Arthur let out a less than dignified snort at the thought that Gaius had in fact been waiting for him to ask these questions. "I just . . . I need to know why, Gaius."

"Why what?"

"Why . . . everything!" He threw his hands out not able to form a single pointed question. "Why was he here? Why did he lie to me for so long? Why did he . . ."

"Why did he make you care?" Gaius finished and Arthur seemed to physically deflate, nodding. Gaius motioned for him to sit and Arthur did so, letting out a breath. "Arthur, none of Merlin's actions were to harm you or anyone in Camelot. I know that he lied to you but he had to, to keep his own life safe."

"But why even come here?" Arthur asked, confused as to why a magical creature, who, if Gaius was to be believed, knew that if he were to be discovered, would be killed. "He was safe in the lake. Nothing could get to him there. I know my father believes that there is a way to destroy the merpeople but . . ."

"You don't." Gaius finished and Arthur nodded.

"As humans, we have no idea what is actually at the bottom of the lake. We have no idea how deep it goes or what is actually in there. The merpeople, that's their home. They know every nook and cranny of that lake and there's no way to launch an attack on a body of water, no matter what is living inside it."

"You are quite right." Gaius nodded, pleased that the prince had come to the conclusion that going after the merpeople was a waste of time. "They are quite safe from any attacks in the lake."

"So why would Merlin come here?" Arthur asked again, searching the old man's face for answers. "Why would he leave somewhere that was very clearly a safe haven filled with his own kind to come here, where he would surely be killed if he was discovered?"

"Destiny, Arthur." Gaius stated simply and Arthur stopped, staring at him.

"Destiny?"

"Yes," Gaius nodded and Arthur raised an eyebrow in confusion. "It is not my place to say what it is, for only Merlin himself can explain that but it was his destiny to be in Camelot. It wasn't something he could avoid, Arthur."

Arthur sat there, Merlin's words from a few months previous when Arthur had been set to marry Princess Elena running through his head.

" _Destinies are troublesome things. You feel trapped. Like your whole life has been planned out for you and you've got no control over anything and sometimes you don't even know if what destiny decided is really the best thing at all."_

He sat there for a moment, Gaius's and Merlin's word running through his mind. "And you can't tell me why?"

"It is not my place to say, Arthur." Gaius said softly and Arthur nodded, knowing that if he wanted to know exactly what had Merlin in Camelot, he would have to actually see him himself.

Arthur didn't know if he was ready to do that.

"Have you seen him?" Arthur asked, picking his thumbnail as he spoke.

"I have, sire." Gaius nodded and Arthur looked up at him sharply. Gaius said nothing more knowing that the prince wanted to know what had happened to Merlin.

"And?" Arthur pressed, not impressed at the physician's lack of information. "Is he alright? How is he? _Where_ is he?"

"As I first suggested, sire, he has returned to the lake. It is his home after all." Arthur nodded, understanding why he would have returned there. "I have seen him a few times over the last weeks, Arthur and physically he is fine. But I can see that he misses Camelot. He misses the people here. He misses _you_ , Arthur."

"Why would he miss me?" Arthur scoffed and Gaius smiled gently.

"Because you're his best friend," he shrugged simply and Arthur looked up at him, shocked. "And even though you won't admit it, he is the same for you."

Arthur swallowed before taking a deep breath. "I don't know if I can trust him again, Gaius." He sighed gently, resting his chin on his hand. "He lied to me for so long."

"And you're not doing the same thing to everyone else in Camelot, telling them that you don't know whether he survived the river or not, even though you know that he is perfectly well?" Arthur blinked at Gaius's words, knowing them to be true. He was lying to everyone to keep Merlin safe. He was committing treason every day for someone that, according to his father, he shouldn't have cared about in the slightest.

But then, Merlin had a way of getting under your skin and staying there. He wasn't easily forgotten.

"I know," he sighed, rubbing his hands across his face and Gaius felt sorry for the prince. He had a war waging in his head. One side of him had only known what his father had preached about anything to do with magic being evil and everything magical had to be destroyed because of that very fact. But then he had the knowledge that Merlin was one of those very same creatures that he should despise, knowing that Merlin had saved his life on multiple occasions at risk to himself. Not only a risk to his life but risking exposure which he had done.

Arthur had shown what kind of king he would become when he let Merlin go. He was showing that he wasn't going to blindly follow what he was told but would form his own opinions. Gaius just hoped that Arthur could see clearly when it came to Merlin.

"When I came to see you after we'd been to the lake and told you about the merman saving my life, you knew that it was Merlin, didn't you?" Arthur asked, veering off in a completely different direction and Gaius blinked for a moment, regaining his senses.

"I did, sire."

"But you acted surprised when I told you of the tail I'd seen." Arthur pressed and Gaius nodded. "You said that it had never been heard of before."

"Because before Merlin was born, it wasn't."

"What do you mean?"

"Merlin is the only known merman with a golden tail." Gaius repeated and Arthur nodded. "In all of history, there hasn't been another, nor has there been since. When I told you that they appeared in any colour you could think of, I was telling you the truth. They appear in many different colours, Arthur, but there had never been a golden one before."

"So why Merlin?" Arthur asked, shrugging his shoulders in question and Gaius shook his head.

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I don't know why Merlin has a golden tail."

"Something I'll have to ask him if I want to know?" Arthur asked wryly and Gaius gave a small shrug.

"I'm not sure if even _Merlin_ knows why he has a gold tail. The other colours they're born with don't have special meaning, Arthur."

"But the gold one does."

"I don't know." The old man sighed, shaking his head, watching the prince carefully. "If it does, it's not something that has been discovered or explained."

"Could it be to do with his destiny you mentioned earlier?" Arthur asked and Gaius nodded, having had the thought himself. As Emrys, Merlin had more power than was conceivable. It wouldn't surprise him to think that the golden tail that had never been seen before may be some kind of reflection of that.

"It is possible, sire." Gaius stood up, needing to get on with some of his work. "I'm sorry I can't be much more help to you, Arthur. If you need more answers, you'll have to get them from Merlin."

Arthur nodded as he left the rooms, his mind going over everything Gaius had said. He knew that if he really wanted to know what he needed to know, he would have to speak to Merlin himself. He would have to travel to the lake and speak to the man that he had thought was his friend.

It was another month before Arthur made up his mind to go to the lake to confront Merlin. He hadn't heard anything from him and he hadn't asked Gaius about him. He knew the old man travelled there frequently to see the young man and he realised that Merlin must have declared Gaius off limits to the others as he never came back with so much as a scratch.

Gaius had told him not long after their talk about Merlin of a path that led in a straight line from the city to the lake, meaning that he wouldn't have to travel the roads round. Arthur had worried that if Uther found it, it would make the lake more accessible for his army but Gaius had assured him that the denseness of the forest would allow one horse through without too much trouble but to take an army through there would be nigh on impossible.

He told Arthur of where he needed to travel and after advising everyone that he was going on a solo hunting trip, he mounted up and left the city at a reasonable speed. Gaius had told him that not too far up the road, there was a gap in between two large trees that would allow him to take the path needed without drawing the unnecessary attention of riding straight into the woods. It took him a little while to find it but when he did, he guided his horse in between them and into the woods. Gaius had also informed him of little markers along the way, nature's way of saying that he was on the right path.

Arthur let out a small chuckle at the thought of the physician giving him advice on getting to the lake while avoiding the roads. He hadn't even decided he would be going to see Merlin when he had. He reasoned that Gaius knew him well enough to know that he would want to see Merlin for himself. He was thankful now that he had listened for he wouldn't have known if he was travelling in the right direction without Gaius's words.

He travelled at nothing faster than a walk, wanting the extra time to sort out what he was going to say to his friend. If Merlin still considered them friends. He reasoned that he would have to see Merlin as he really was, in his true form to be able to see if he could move past what had happened. He still needed to thank him for saving his life in the lake and river.

It wasn't too much later when he broke through the trees surrounding the bank of the lake, the bright sunlight of summer glinting off the surface, giving off a rainbow of colours that Arthur found mesmerising. He dismounted, tethering his horse so that it wouldn't wander off and yet had enough room to graze in the time he would be here.

He stepped towards the lake and onto the dock, walking to the end and regarding the enormous expanse of water that was in front of him. Gaius had said that the merpeople had keen hearing so had most likely heard him approach but he didn't really feel like yelling for Merlin when the lake was essentially full of predators.

He glanced at the boat, weighing up his options. He really didn't want to get into the boat, knowing that he would be a sitting duck for any that came for him if he did but it also might be the only way he could get even that little bit closer to Merlin.

"Well, hello, little prince," Arthur jumped back from the edge of the dock at the silky voice that came from somewhere below him. He caught his breath as he looked down to see a woman in the water, the flaming red of her hair not dampened by the water caught in it. He stepped back as she moved forwards, resting her forearms on the low dock. Arthur knew that he wasn't safe where he was standing and took another step back. "Oh, don't worry, little one. You're safe here." Her tone was almost mocking as she regarded him, her ruby red lips forming a smile.

"You expect me to believe that?" He asked, glancing around, trying to keep an eye out for any ambush that may be coming from any side.

"Merlin has decreed that you are safe," Arthur's eyes snapped back to hers and she chuckled softly. "And no one disobeys the golden one."

"Why?" Arthur asked, still tense at the thought of there being more of them around him. Gaius had said that they were intelligent creatures and from the look of the mermaid – for he had no doubt that's what she was – in front of him, he didn't dispute that. Intelligence and beauty. All that seemed to be needed to lure men to their deaths.

"That is something you'll have to ask him," she grinned, revealing her pearly white teeth as he swallowed, his nervousness about being in her presence clear. "You need not worry, Prince Arthur. Merlin has declared you off limits, so even if you were to enter the lake, you would not be harmed."

"Where is he?" Arthur asked, keeping his senses ready if she had been lying to him.

"He is in a small alcove not too far from where we are now." She advised, pushing away from the dock. "You'll need to walk west around the lake for fifteen minutes. The alcove will be there. As will Merlin."

She gave him one more smile before diving underneath the surface, Arthur catching a glimpse of a deep red tail as she disappeared.

 _Well, that went well._ Arthur thought as he walked down the dock and in the direction the mermaid had told him to do. Well, she hadn't tried to eat him so that was a plus.

Arthur didn't understand what she meant when she'd said that they didn't disobey the golden one. Surely that didn't mean that Merlin was some kind of leader for them, did it? Gaius had said that a golden tail had never been seen before so maybe it did.

He had been walking for a while when he noticed the bank dip in, in front of him. He walked over to it, being mindful that it could give way and relieved to see that the rest of it was made up of solid rock unlike the earthy bank he had been on the last time he had fallen.

He slowly stepped towards the edge, keeping as quiet as possible as he peered over the edge. He couldn't help the gasp that escaped him as he took in what he was seeing.

At least a dozen merpeople, tails of all colours, lounging on the rocks of the alcove, soaking up the sun. It seemed that they were chatting away to themselves, enjoying the morning sun as it neared midday. It was spectacular to see.

But what caught Arthur's eye the most was the flash of gold in the centre, his eye immediately drawn to it. His breath caught in his throat as he took in the merman lounging on the large rock that protruded from the water in the alcove.

It was Merlin.

But it was Merlin as Arthur had never seen him before. Yes, his face was exactly the same, his elfin like features relaxed as he soaked up the sun. His eyes were closed as he lay on his belly, his arms resting underneath his head. Arthur eyes were immediately drawn lower down his back to where skin melded into scales. It was surreal to see Merlin like this, his eyes running down the sleek, long, powerful looking tail that appeared bent over the side of the rock in a way that didn't seem possible, the end disappearing into the water leaving just a tiny hint of the elegant fins on the end.

Arthur started as one of them hissed, pointing up at him. Merlin's eyes snapped open as he cursed himself for not paying attention to his surroundings, looking up and freezing as he saw who was above him. He barely noticed the others making a dive for the water, knowing that they had been seen by the prince of Camelot. A prince who was off limits as declared by Emrys himself.

Merlin didn't move as Arthur looked up at him before he started to climb down the embankment that was nearly a sheer drop. He managed to climb down, looking at Merlin to ensure that he hadn't moved and relieved each time he saw that he was still there, on the rock, tense, tail twitching minutely, causing tiny ripples in the water.

After making it down, Arthur jumped from rock to rock, feeling Merlin's gaze on him as he got as close as he could without actually getting in the water himself. Now that he was closer to Merlin, he could see the individual scales in his tail, and the different colours that were thrown off in with the gold. The shimmering greens and pinks that bounced off the scales were mesmerising to Arthur and he found he had to look away, looking up at Merlin's face, quickly realising that he still hadn't figured out what he was going to say to the merman in front of him.

"Hi."


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

"Hi."

Merlin's eyebrows shot up, the only part of him that moved, other than the continuous twitches of his tail. Arthur closed his eyes, knowing how incredibly stupid he had just sounded.

"Hi?" He opened his eyes to see Merlin watching him incredulously and Arthur shrugged, not knowing what else to say. "It's been almost two months and you ride out here to what? Say hi?"

Arthur let out a chuckle at Merlin's raised eyebrow and small smirk, seeing that no matter his physical appearance, he was exactly the same as he had been in Camelot. He let out a sigh, looking over at Merlin to see that he had turned on his side, resting his head on one hand, watching Arthur closely. While he may have appeared relaxed, Arthur could see that he was anything but. The muscles Arthur didn't realise Merlin had were tense and his tail was still twitching minutely as though he was ready to make a break for it at a moment's notice.

"I just . . ." Arthur ran a hand through his hair. "I guess I just wanted to see you again."

"Really?" Merlin asked, shifting slightly, turning his body to face Arthur a little more, a confused expression on his face.

"Yeah," Arthur let out a single laugh, shaking his head. "Is that so hard to believe?"

"Well, yes, actually it is." Arthur was surprised by Merlin's answer.

"Why?" Merlin raised an eyebrow at the prince, before glancing at his tail, looking back up at Arthur, a questioning expression on his face. "Oh, that." Arthur gave him a wry smile as Merlin gave him a 'yes, that' look which said more than he could ever have said out loud. He let out a sigh, looking over to the glistening scales of Merlin's tail before looking back up to the man's face. "Well, I guess that-"

He stopped as Merlin's head snapped round, behind him to the entrance of the alcove out into the lake. Arthur jumped slightly when he saw the look on Merlin's face, an anger that he had never seen before. The merman in front of him practically crawled off the rock he was on, disappearing beneath the surface of the water and Arthur wondered what had happened. Had he done or said something that had upset Merlin or was there something happening below the surface that Arthur couldn't see?

Merlin emerged after a couple of minutes, his head and shoulders popping out of the water right next to Arthur, making him jump.

"Was that necessary?" He asked, looking down at Merlin who smirked up at him, shrugging, clearly pleased with himself. "Everything alright?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Merlin waved him off. "We just had an audience, that's all and I didn't think you wanted everyone in the lake listening in."

"I'm not that interesting." Arthur mumbled and Merlin chuckled, crossing his arms on the rock next to where Arthur was sitting.

"But to them, you are." He reasoned and Arthur looked down at him, seeing the cheeky grin he had missed in Camelot. "It's not every day the Prince of Camelot comes down to the lake."

"Might be seeing me more often," Merlin looked up at Arthur in surprise, pushing himself away from the rock slightly. "If you want to, that is."

Merlin tilted his head, slightly, looking behind him once again and rolling his eyes. "Come on," Merlin pushed away from the rock and Arthur raised an eyebrow. "The audience is gathering once again and I don't know about you but I would prefer to speak in private."

"We can do that here?" Arthur wondered seeing as everything looked so vast an open and yet he remembered Gaius saying that there were many places the merfolk could hide.

"There are a number of places where that is possible but only one or two that are accessible from the land and water." He motioned for Arthur to follow a small indentation round the side of the rock, swimming alongside him as he did so.

Merlin watched as Arthur navigated his way around the side of the rock, shuffling along so he didn't fall into the lake and marvelled at the fact that he was actually here. Merlin hadn't thought that he would actually see Arthur again, especially not this soon. Gaius had told him that he and the knights had seen his tail but they hadn't told anyone else. He had said that Arthur was questioning what he had been brought up to believe when it came to magic. He didn't know when but he'd had a feeling that Arthur would be making the journey to the lake at some point.

Merlin hadn't gotten his hopes up. The look on Arthur's face had told him that he was letting him go because he had saved his life and nothing else. If he came to the lake then it meant that he was looking for something else. That there was something else going through his mind.

What it was, Merlin didn't know. But he was going to find out.

And Arthur mentioning that he might be back had been a shock to the merman. He had been sure that Arthur wouldn't want to see him again. After all, he had lied to him the whole time he had been in Camelot, about who he was, where he was from, _what_ he was. Merlin guessed that it would have to do with how his visit today went.

"If you climb up there, you'll find an opening in the rock," Merlin pointed up the sloped bank and Arthur followed his arm. "Go through there and you'll find it opens to a cave. I'll meet you in there."

"How will you get in?" Arthur asked and Merlin grinned.

"There's an underwater entrance." Was all Merlin said before he submerged and disappeared under the water completely leaving Arthur to climb the rocky slope and find the entrance to the cave.

Merlin slipped into the underwater tunnel that led into the cave Arthur would be climbing into. He paused, erecting a shield so that others couldn't get in behind him. He loved his family and everything but they were too damn nosy for their own good. Whatever it was Arthur wanted to say, they didn't need an audience to it.

He emerged into the cave, hearing Arthur scrambling down the tunnel that allowed for above ground access. He couldn't help but laugh as he heard the prince let out a yelp before he slid into the cave in a most undignified manner. Arthur glared at him trying to right himself as he sat up, making his way over to the water to sit by where Merlin was.

"Alright, alright, that's enough." He groused as Merlin chuckled, pulling himself out of the water and settling on his front next to Arthur. Arthur let out a sigh as he looked down at Merlin's tail again, remembering the first time he had seen it as it disappeared underneath the boat. The way he was on the rock, his tail was technically bending backwards as it dropped over the side of the cave floor and into the water, which was a little disorienting for Arthur to think about as he sat there. "I meant what I said, you know?"

"About what?" Merlin asked, crossing his arms in front of him, resting his chin on his forearms as he looked up at the prince.

"It's beautiful," Merlin looked towards his tail before looking back up at Arthur with a small smile.

"Thanks." He lifted his head, drawing patterns on the rock in front of him. "I wanted to tell you, Arthur. I did but . . ."

"You couldn't trust me enough."

"No, Arthur!" Merlin shifted towards Arthur slightly, causing the prince to look up at him. "It wasn't about trust. Of course I trust you. It was more . . . waiting until you were ready."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur wrinkled his nose at Merlin in the way he did when he thought the other man had said something incredibly stupid, even if it turned out that he was right.

"Think about it, Arthur," Merlin sighed, rolling his eyes at the prince. "If I'd told you when we first met, what would you have done?"

"Told you to prove it," Arthur murmured and Merlin nodded.

"And if I had?"

"I don't know," he muttered, knowing that was a lie. What made it worse was that Merlin knew it was a lie as well and didn't hold back.

"Yes, you do," Arthur flinched at the tone, closing his eyes. "You would have handed me straight over to your father where he would have either killed me or kept me chained just like he did with the dragon."

"Alright," Arthur nodded, knowing that that was exactly what he would have done. When he and Merlin had first met he had been an arrogant prat, just as Merlin had pointed out many times before and he would have enjoyed the praise his father would have given him for managing to capture a merman, just as he had when Arthur had killed the unicorn. Back then, he wouldn't have cared about what happened to Merlin.

Not like he did now.

"What about later, though?" He asked, looking back down at him, seeing the blue eyes that were always so cheerful and full of light, pensive and serious. Not a look he usually attributed to Merlin. "Surely you knew me well enough to know how I would react."

"Yes, I did and you wouldn't have believed me." He sighed, and Arthur raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "You wouldn't have. I know you, Arthur. You would have just brushed it under the rug and not believed it. The only reason you believe it now is because you can see that it's true." He shifted closer to Arthur slightly. "You don't want to believe that anyone you care about could be hurt. By whatever means. You have the tendency to do that. Not notice the obvious."

"Alright, alright." Arthur rolled his eyes, knowing that at least some of what Merlin had said was true. "And where did you get the idea that I cared about you?" He laughed and Merlin grinned at him.

"The fact that you're here says it all, Arthur." The cheeky grin was back and Arthur was almost relieved to see it.

"I don't know what I would have done," Arthur sighed, pulling up one knee and resting an elbow on it, looking down at Merlin who nodded slowly, letting out a sigh. "It wasn't easy." Merlin looked up a confused expression on his face and Arthur knew he had to elaborate. "To let you go. It went against everything my father had taught me about magic. But I knew that you weren't evil. And it's the way you were born, nothing you can do about it." He nudged Merlin gently. "It's not like you were practising magic." Merlin winced and Arthur stilled having noticed. "Is everything that man said right?" Arthur asked and Merlin looked up at him, confused.

"What man?"

"That man, Randall," Merlin nodded, remembering who Arthur was talking about. "He said that you were a merman, which is obviously correct," he motioned to Merlin's tail and Merlin shrugged, knowing he didn't need to answer. "He said that merpeople had made their way into Camelot on legs and were using magic. All of which seems to be true."

"Not entirely." Merlin countered and Arthur looked down at him, his silent request clear. "Yes, eh may have been right about me but merpeople don't have magic or the ability to walk on land."

"You do," Arthur pointed out and Merlin nodded.

"And I'm the only one who does." Arthur gave Merlin a confused look and Merlin sighed gently, wondering how to explain. "According to what everyone has told me, I am the only merman in history to possess magic." He shrugged, shaking his head.

"Maybe that's why the golden tail," Arthur murmured and Merlin pushed himself up, watching the prince closely.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, narrowing his eyes and Arthur flushed slightly, realising that he had spoken out loud.

"After you left or . . . after I made you go . . . I spoke to Gaius about some things." Arthur explained and Merlin nodded. Gaius had told him on one of his visits that Arthur had begun to ask questions about him, his kind and what they were really like. Gaius had been all too happy to explain what the merfolk were really like as opposed to the horror stories Arthur had most likely heard from Uther. "He told me that what he said about the golden tail not being heard of before you came along was true. And that no one really knew why you were born with that colour when it had never happened before. I just thought that as you were the only one to be born with magic, maybe that's linked to the colour of your tail."

Merlin thought about that for a moment, running Arthur's words through his mind and he realised that Arthur may have made a connection that none of them had before.

"You know, you seem to be handling all of this extremely well," Merlin lowered himself back down onto his forearms, watching Arthur's reaction.

"Well, I've had nearly two months to get used to the whole tail thing and . . . I don't know, I guess the whole having magic thing doesn't seem like too much of a stretch." He shrugged and Merlin raised an eyebrow. Arthur thought for a moment before he smiled and started to take off his boots. Merlin looked at him curiously as he pulled off his boots, socks and rolled up his breeches to above his knees, dropping his legs into the water. "This is nice." He looked down at Merlin who shrugged, grinning back. "I think that part of me thought you already had magic."

"Really?"

"Not before you left, of course." Arthur shook his head and Merlin rolled his eyes. "Would never have thought before all of this came out but . . . even though he actually managed to get eaten by the very things he said he could destroy, he said that merpeople had magic and . . . I don't know . . . I guess in the back of my head, the thought was already there." Arthur froze for a moment before his gaze flicked to Merlin. "You didn't . . . join in, did you?"

"Join in with what?" Merlin laughed, wondering what Arthur was going on about. He couldn't help but be amused by the prince's slightly disgusted look as he sat there.

"You know," Merlin shook his head, not having a clue what he meant. "The whole . . . eating Randall . . . thing?"

"What? No!" Merlin shuddered, shaking his head. "There is no way I would have even contemplated eating him. He was vile enough in Camelot let alone as food. The others said he was quite tasty though." Merlin grinned as Arthur turned slightly green at the thought, laughing at the expression on his face.

"Do you have to?" Arthur moaned and Merlin laughed even harder.

"Sorry," he couldn't stop chuckling and Arthur shook his head, dispelling the image of the merpeople ripping Randall to pieces. "Another reason I came here to see you is . . . because I never thanked you for saving my life." Merlin looked up at him, all trace of humour gone. "Both here and in the river. You risked a lot to save me and . . . I'm grateful. Thank you."

"I couldn't let you drown." Merlin said softly, looking at the rock underneath him. "Even if it meant risking exposure but I couldn't let you die."

Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder, giving a slight squeeze of thanks, jumping and letting out a yelp when something brushed against his foot gently. "What was that?"

"What?"

"Something just hit my foot." He pulled his feet out, looking warily at the water as Merlin started to laugh. "It's not funny. There's something in there."

"Arthur," Merlin continued to laugh as Arthur alternated between casting looks at him and at the water. "Arthur, that was me."

"You?" He looked at him sceptically as he glanced back at the water. Merlin nodded as he continued to laugh and Arthur looked over the edge of the water, seeing that Merlin's tail was resting near enough where his feet had been. He looked back at Merlin, seeing that he had turned, watching him with amusement on his face. He looked back at the water, sticking on of his feet back in as he sat there. He jumped as he felt the same thing brush his foot again and looked down to see that it was in fact Merlin's tail.

"Told you." Merlin sounded smug and Arthur made a face at him, all princely decorum gone as it normally was when it was just the two of them.

Arthur smiled as he thought about the friendship that the two of them shared. It wasn't anything like Arthur had had before. To everyone else, he had been Prince Arthur and they acted a certain way around him because of it and that was how it had been all his life. He wasn't ashamed to admit that because of that, it had gone to his head and he had become arrogant and a bully. And then Merlin had come along and shoved him back into place. He had kept his feet on the ground while treating him with the respect he was expected to. He never minced his words and always told Arthur when he was being and idiot. Merlin was the type of friend that Arthur had never had before. With those around him, Arthur always had to watch what he did as he knew that they were more likely to report to his father than anything else.

With Merlin he didn't have to act, he didn't have to pretend and that was something he missed now that the other man wasn't there.

"Can I?" He asked and Merlin raised an eyebrow at him, resting his head on a hand as he had done before.

"Can you what?"

"Touch it?" He didn't elaborate on what and Merlin gave him a confused stare. "Your tail." He clarified and Merlin nodded in understanding. "Can I touch your tail?"

"If you like," Merlin let out a small smile as he shook his head, wondering why Arthur would want to. He gave a small shrug to himself, guessing it was nothing more than human curiosity.

Arthur tentatively reached out and ran the backs of his fingers over Merlin's tail, right where, if he was human, his outer thigh would be. He marvelled at how soft and smooth the scales were before turning his hand over and running his palm over the same spot, letting out an astonished breath.

"I think I moved past the whole 'you having a tail' thing a while ago," he said softly, still running his hand up and down Merlin's tail, feeling the shift of the muscle below his fingers as he moved. He looked up at Merlin who had a content smile on his face, watching as Arthur marvelled at the feel of his tail beneath his fingertips. "I don't think it was about that anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I think it was more about the thought that you didn't trust me." He sighed, his hand pausing as he looked at Merlin who had once again shifted so he was slightly curved round, closer to Arthur and resting his head on his folded arms again. "I know, I know, you explained all of that but . . . I think that was where more of the anger was coming from."

"You're not angry anymore?" Merlin asked, biting his lip as he waited for the answer.

"No," Arthur whispered a few moments later, meeting Merlin's eye. "No, I'm not. Not anymore." He sighed, looking into the water for a few moments before he felt Merlin's tail nudge his hand gently. "What?"

"That felt nice," Merlin moaned and Arthur laughed, shaking his head.

"Alright, you pushy fish." He responded, flinching when Merlin splashed water on him, the two of them laughing for a moment before settling back down. Arthur resumed running his hand up and down Merlin's tail, still amazed at the feel of the scales under his palm and watching Merlin's eyes drift closed. Apparently there was at least one way to calm a merman. Not that most would get close enough to try.

They resumed talking, exchanging stories about the last couple of months, Merlin telling Arthur about the different merfolk in the lake, explaining that the one that had met him at the dock was called Karina and that she was headstrong and fiery. Arthur had been afraid of her and Merlin laughed, saying that he should be but not for the reasons he thought. Arthur told Merlin about how things had been going in Camelot. He had explained about a tournament that had taken place and Merlin winced slightly, hating the tournaments that Camelot hosted. They always seemed to bring out the worst in people.

Though, thankfully, it seemed like the worst thing that had happened was Uther had entered and Arthur had thrown the fight between the two of them.

He had been incredibly pleased that nothing had happened while he hadn't been there but that didn't mean that everything was going to remain as it had. He knew that it was only a matter of time before Morgana and Morgause tried something else. They had been too quiet lately and that unsettled him. Being so far from Camelot, he worried about what he would be able to do. Gaius had brought him some of his clothes which he had placed in the other cave Merlin had mentioned that had both underwater and above ground access. If he was truly needed then it didn't matter what people thought.

They spoke about what had happened after Arthur had let Merlin go, about how the knights had seen him when he jumped into the river but had trusted Arthur's judgement and not said anything to anyone about what he was. He was eternally grateful and wished he could thank them in some way.

Arthur had suggested bringing them to the lake, which might have been a possibility. But then he mentioned bringing Morgana and Gwen and he had shut that idea down straight away. Arthur had looked mildly offended at the tone Merlin had used but he was adamant that they not be told he was alive. He gave the excuse of the two of them being too close to Uther to know and hope to keep it from him. Having concealed that kind of information would get the both of them punished, Gwen more than Morgana because of their stations – and _that_ got Arthur's attention – and that Uther would most likely see his employment at the castle as nothing more than him trying to infiltrate the castle.

Arthur understood but vowed that as soon as he could, he was bringing them out to see him. He told Merlin that the two of them were moping around the castle since he hadn't come back and his presence was missing.

By Gwen, maybe. Merlin reasoned in his own mind. Morgana was probably just upset that she hadn't been able to kill him herself. Not that she'd have been able to. Being physically stronger than she was both in human and true form, Merlin didn't have to worry about that side of things and being a magical creature himself, he was resistant to all but the most powerful forms of magic. Add that into his own magical powers she didn't really have a chance.

"So," Arthur leaned back, looking at Merlin where he was laid. "Is there anything else I should know about you? Things you've done?"

"Um," Merlin thought for a moment before remembering something that he knew Arthur wasn't going to like. Something that Arthur was going to get very _very_ angry about.

"I know that face," Arthur sighed and Merlin flinched, hoping he hadn't noticed. "What is it?"

"Um . . ." Merlin sat up, edging closer to the water as Arthur waited. "Iletthedragongo." He rushed out before diving under the water and out of Arthur's reach before he could process what he had said. He knew when Arthur had heard everything he'd just said because he saw him lean over the side of the water pool inside of the cave, clearly searching for Merlin.

Merlin surfaced on the other side of the pool, far out of an extremely furious Arthur's reach. "Merlin," his voice was deathly calm but Merlin wasn't fooled for a moment. "Come here." He shook his head, not even going to chance moving over to the other side of the cave. " _Mer_ lin!"

"I'm not coming over there." He shook his head again and Arthur glared at him, knowing that while Merlin was in the water, there was nothing he could do.

"I just . . ." he let out an angry sigh, his fists still clenched and Merlin still did not move. "You let that monster go."

"He's not a monster," Merlin reasoned and Arthur gaped at him, unbelieving. "He's a magical creature, just like me. He used to help me, Arthur. He used to help me a lot." Merlin sighed, resting his head on the back of the cave, still not moving closer to Arthur. "Until he made me realise that he was only looking out for himself." Merlin shook his head, resolving not to go into what had happened. He had heard the calls from the lake even from inside Camelot and he'd known instantly that there was something wrong. It appeared that Nimueh, the witch he had met on the Isle of the Blessed, along with the dragon had tricked him into giving his own mother's life in exchange for Arthur's.

"But that didn't mean you had to release him." Arthur growled and Merlin shook his head, knowing that for a fact.

"No," he agreed and Arthur rolled his eyes, "but the fact that he made me promise to free him on my mother's life for helping me, did."

"What are you talking about?" Arthur sounded confused at the mention of his mother and Merlin remembered Arthur thought she was already dead.

"She's still alive. I couldn't say that she was while I was in Camelot otherwise it would seem a bit strange that I never went to see her, don't you think?" Merlin shrugged and Arthur nodded for a moment before letting out a breath through his nose, his stare returning to Merlin.

"The help he gave you better have been good." His voice was practically a growl again and Merlin nodded.

"You remember when the whole of Camelot was put to sleep and the Knights of Medhir attacked?" Merlin asked and Arthur nodded. "He told me how to end the spell. He helped me save the whole of Camelot and I had to free him in exchange."

"And he almost destroyed the whole city." Arthur raged and Merlin resolved to stay where he was until he'd at least begun to calm down. "Well, at least it's dead now."

"Um . . ." Merlin winced a little under Arthur's livid stare. "That's not exactly true."

"What?"

"Kilgarrah's still alive?" It sounded like more of a question than anything else and Arthur looked as though he was about to launch himself into the water after Merlin himself.

"Merlin, come here." Merlin shook his head again. Merman or not, he wasn't stupid and he wasn't going anywhere near Arthur when he was that angry. "Merlin. Either you come here or I'm coming in after you."

"Arthur, you seem to be forgetting that I can breathe underwater and . . . well, you can't." Merlin shrugged and Arthur did nothing more than glare at him. He thought for a moment before sitting back on the rock, staring at Merlin.

"You told me that I'd dealt him a mortal blow," Arthur's voice was deathly quiet and Merlin nodded. "You told me that I'd killed it." Again he nodded. "If it's still alive, why would you tell me that?"

"Because I doubt 'hey, Arthur, while you were unconscious, Kilgarrah and I had a little chat and I told him to leave so he's gone', would have gone down too well." Merlin shot back and Arthur blinked, stunned.

"You just _told_ it to leave?" Arthur repeated and Merlin nodded, knowing where the conversation was going. "And it listened to you?"

"He didn't have a choice." Merlin whispered, wanting nothing more to sink to the bottom of the cave and not come up until Arthur had forgotten what they'd been talking about. But he knew that he couldn't. Arthur had a right to know about what happened. "He cannot disobey me."

"But the only ones that can control a dragon is a dragonlord." Arthur accurately stated and Merlin nodded. "And the last dragonlord was killed. We both saw it happen." Merlin clenched his eyes closed, taking a deep breath.

"Balinor was killed, yes but . . . did you know that the dragonlord's power is passed down from father to son? Upon the death of the father?" He looked up at Arthur, willing him to understand and he saw the moment when comprehension dawned on the prince.

"You're a dragonlord?" He whispered and Merlin nodded. "That means that Balinor was . . ." He let out a breath, all anger at Merlin's actions seeming to have disappeared with that one revelation.

"He was," Merlin nodded, clenching his teeth to hold back the emotions that always flew to the surface at the thought of his father. "In saving my mother's life, I got my father killed." He let out a watery laugh as he looked up at Arthur. "He didn't even know he had a son until I told him. He had no idea I existed."

"You're the reason he came back to Camelot." Arthur stated and Merlin shrugged.

"At the point he decided to come back, he didn't know about me. It wasn't until later that I told him who I was." He sighed, looking over at Arthur. "I just . . . wish I'd had more time with him."

Arthur nodded, something coming to him in those moments of silence when he dropped his legs back into the water. Merlin looked over, seeing nothing but pain in his eyes as the prince looked over at the merman. He motioned for him to come back to the other side of the cave and Merlin slowly did so, ready to bolt at a seconds notice if need be. He'd been on the receiving end of Arthur's temper too many times.

Instead of doing what Merlin thought he would, he reached down and grabbed him around the shoulders in a hug, showing off his strength by pulling him up and partially out of the water. "I'm sorry for what I said that day." He whispered and Merlin shook his head, remembering as he returned the hug.

"You didn't know." He responded and Arthur shook his head as he released him, letting him drop back into the water. "Anyway, Kilgarrah can't do anything against Camelot again."

"You're sure about that?" Arthur looked sceptical and Merlin nodded.

"I told you, he can't disobey me. Camelot is entirely safe from him." He assured him and Arthur sighed.

Merlin stayed in the water as they continued to talk, well, Merlin told Arthur the stories that he never knew. The stories of how he'd repeatedly saved his backside and never gotten caught. Arthur didn't believe half of them but when Merlin had suggested he ask Gaius to confirm them, Arthur had nodded reluctantly. It would seem that the lake and the river were not the only times Merlin had saved Arthur's life. And the prince had never known.

What amazed him more was the never once at the man in front of him sought any credit. He'd just done it without any kind of thanks other than those he would get off of Gaius. And it didn't seem to make any kind of difference to him that no one else would never know.

It was with promises of being back soon that Arthur left the lake later on that evening. Merlin felt content as he dived under the surface in search of his mother, who wanted to know what had happened and why the prince was here. He explained everything to her and to say that she and the rest of the merfolk were relieved was an understatement. When Merlin had come back telling them that the prince knew who and what he was, they had feared that there would be some kind of retribution.

But nothing had happened. They had all remained on alert which is why Merlin had been angry at himself when Arthur had first arrived for not being aware that he was approaching the lake. If it had been anyone else, they most likely would have eaten him but as it was Arthur, he knew that that wasn't an option.

Though that didn't say he hadn't thought about it before.

While Merlin knew that Arthur had promised to come back to the lake soon, he hadn't expected it to be so soon. He hadn't expected it to be little more than three weeks after his initial visit – Merlin knew how busy his schedule got around this time of year with the levies and trying to organise the harvest coming in – and in the middle of the night.

Merlin had been sleeping peacefully with his mother when he was jolted awake by the sound of someone yelling his name. He quickly pushed himself out of the cave, startling his mother awake before realising it was coming from the shore.

He told everyone that had been woken to stay where they were hearing that it was Arthur that was yelling for him.

"Arthur!" He called for the prince who looked relieved at the sight of him. He dived quickly, making his way to the shoreline. "What happened? Why are you here, Arthur?"

"Morgana," Arthur panted, dropping to his knees as Merlin approached, the others apart from Gaius gasping in shock as they noticed who it was in front of them. Merlin noticed that the rogue Gwaine that he and Arthur had met and Gwen's brother Elyan were with them, as well as Arthur's servant. "She and Morgause have raised an army of men that will not die. She has my father captive. She is my sister, Merlin. She has been crowned Queen."

Merlin cursed under his breath, knowing the day had feared had come.

Morgana had made her move.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

Merlin emerged in the cave he and Arthur had conversed in a few weeks prior, it being large enough to fit all of those that had come with Arthur. The prince himself had holed himself up in the corner, close to the water, away from the others. He had barely acknowledged anyone, including Merlin after he had told Merlin what he and the others had come to the lake for. He had sunk into a depression and Merlin knew that something had to be done to snap him out of it.

Gwaine and Elyan had been wary when they had realised that Merlin was in fact not human. Apparently, that they had known him before they found out was null and void, more in Elyan's case than Gwaine's. After he'd gotten over his initial shock, Gwaine had thought that it was brilliant and that he could go fishing for them when they weren't able to. All that had received was a raised eyebrow and a drenching from Merlin.

They had explained to him that Morgana and Morgause had teamed up with Cenred to create an immortal army using something called the Cup of Life. Merlin had stiffened and glanced at Gaius when he had heard that name, knowing that it would not be easy to overthrow. She and Morgause had infiltrated Camelot, though there was no sign of Cenred at all, and Morgana had proclaimed herself Queen, citing her right to the throne as Uther's daughter.

Merlin had already known about Morgana's parentage but what he didn't understand was how she thought she had a claim to the throne. He had discussed it with Gaius and he had confirmed it. She was illegitimate and Uther had not claimed her as his own, meaning that she had no rights to the throne of Camelot. Not that that would have made any difference to how she saw things. She would see it as her birth right no matter what.

They had been able to light a small fire at the edge of the cave, a quick spell from Merlin making the smoke undetectable as it travelled up the small tunnel. They hadn't been able to go too far to collect food, so Merlin had used his singing to lure animals for them to eat. Unfortunately, what they had discovered was that it also lured any immortal soldiers that were in the surrounding areas straight to them.

They had managed to find a quick and easy solution to that problem, while whittling down the number of soldiers in the area. If there were any lured into the area along with the animal, usually a deer, that Merlin had been calling for the humans to eat, the merpeople in the lake would take over once the animal had been downed. They would call a specific song for the immortal men, making it so that Gwaine and Elyan – for they were the only two that emerged from the cave – could grab the carcass and take it below into the cave without being affected by their songs.

It was a win-win situation.

It got rid of the soldiers that were searching for Arthur and his group and the merfolk got food in their bellies.

Merlin had made it expressly clear that the humans in the cave were not to be harmed. The others had had no problem agreeing with him as playing with the Power of Life and Death was forbidden amongst many creatures of magic. Just because they did not have powers themselves did not mean they didn't respect the balance of life. They would gladly help the humans if it meant that the balance of the world was restored.

"What is it, Merlin?" Gaius asked, coming over to where he was perched on the edge of the cave floor, as he normally did, his tail over the edge, the end in the water.

"Morgana's men are everywhere," he stated simply, glancing over at Arthur. "At least the merpeople are eating well." He smirked and Gaius gave him a shove. He didn't mention that he included himself in that statistic. No need to disturb the man even further. He had done that enough just eating raw meat in Camelot. He glanced over at Arthur again, seeing that he was in exactly the same position as he had been the entire week they had been in the cave.

Gaius handed Merlin the bowl of food he had been intending to give to Arthur and Merlin quickly made his way in front of the prince, keeping the bowl above the water, placing it in front of Arthur. "You need to eat something." He said softly and Arthur sighed. "It's deer. Sang for it myself." Nothing from the prince. "Come on, you've eaten far worse. I mean, when I was in Camelot, I've served you things I definitely wouldn't have eaten myself."

"Merlin, please." Arthur sounded frustrated as he closed his eyes. "Leave me in peace."

Merlin sighed, pushing away from the floor of the cave, about to dive again before he stopped himself, flinging a wave of water over the prince with his tail leaving him spluttering against the sudden shower of water.

"I understand," he stared at the prince as he wiped his face off, glaring at the merman. "Your father lied to you about Morgana, I don't know why, I'm sure he had his reasons." Arthur sat back, moving his wet hair off his face, clearly trying to ignore Merlin's words. "But now is not the time for that. He's still your father. He needs you. Camelot needs you."

"I've known her all my life," Arthur said softly, shaking his head, clearly not understanding what was going on around him. Why this had happened. "How could she do this to us?"

Merlin pulled himself up onto the cave floor, watching Arthur carefully. "I can't answer that but you have a duty to your father, to your people." He could only hope that he was getting through to the prince. "You can't give up on them now."

"We cannot defeat an immortal army," he looked at Merlin as though he had lost his mind.

"We don't _know_ until we try." He answered, trying to get across that he would be there for Arthur when they took back Camelot. He would be there for Arthur in any way that would be needed. "Besides, the merpeople are giving it a good go." He smirked, seeing Arthur cringe at the thought of the men being eaten, no matter who they were loyal to.

Merlin pushed away from the cave floor, back into the water, turning to see Arthur pick up the bowl of meat that Merlin had given to him, giving a small smile at the thought that something he might have said worked. Gaius motioned him over, giving him a well done for at least getting the prince to eat something.

Merlin pulled himself out of the water so that he was sitting on the edge as a human might do, leaning into speak to Gaius quietly. "We need to act before Morgana gets any stronger."

"Have you sent word to Lancelot, yet?" Gaius asked and Merlin nodded.

"I sent word _days_ ago." Merlin advised, knowing that if he had been where Merlin knew him last to be, he would have received the message by now. The town he had been residing in way near a large river and the mermaid he had sent would have no problem calling the man to meet her to give her the message. Thankfully, he already knew about Merlin and would with any luck, not see her as a threat. The fact that neither Lancelot nor the mermaid had come back yet was worrying Merlin. Her delay not so much because it wouldn't have been overreaching to assume she had carried on across the border to visit with others of their kind not far away. "He must have moved on."

"Give it time," Gaius advised softly and Merlin shook his head.

"We don't have time." Merlin's voice was quiet but harsh and he hoped that it didn't carry across the cave. "We need to act _now_."

"I know, Merlin." Gaius sighed, as frustrated as Merlin was at the situation. "But how?"

"There was an immortal army before." Gaius nodded. He had told Merlin of the army that had been raised using the cup before. And of the destruction they had waged on the land before they were finally defeated. "How was it defeated?"

"The Cup of Life had to be emptied of the blood it contained." Gaius explained, slightly worried about what Merlin would do with the information he was being given. "Once that happened the enchantment no longer held."

"Then that's what I need to do," Merlin sighed and Gaius shook his head.

"They're _immortal_ , Merlin," Gaius sighed and Merlin took a deep breath. "You don't have the power to defeat a soldier, never mind an army."

"Well, I know _one_ way," Merlin smirked and Gaius rolled his eyes.

"You cannot eat an entire army, Merlin." He grumbled and Merlin shrugged, not phased in the slightest.

"Might be fun to try." He grinned as Gaius grumbled, standing up and shoving him back into the water.

Merlin tried to think of how they could defeat an immortal army as he rested on the bottom of the pool in the cave. No matter how he tried, the answer would not come. He knew that he already knew it but it was in the back of his mind, just out of reach and it was driving him mad.

He curled up where he was, closing his eyes and trying to get some rest before the two thing would start again the next day.

 _Merlin,_ he stirred from his rest, his eyes opening slightly before drifting closed again, wrapping his tail around himself more tightly as he tried to settle back into sleep. _Merlin._ His eyes snapped open at the sound of the voice in his mind. It was a voice he would know anywhere. One whom he had trusted to this very lake to cross to the other side but had not seen since.

Freya.

 _Merlin._

He shot up and out of the tunnel into the main lake, following her call as her voice sounding in his mind. He followed her voice to one of the smaller alcoves of the lake, appearing in front of him, eerily as she shimmered with the underlying currents of the lake.

"Freya?" His voice cracked as he looked at her, reaching out a hand, unable to grasp her as she mirrored his actions.

"I've missed you." Her smile was as sweet as it had been when she was alive. "No matter how close you were, that we were in the same lake, you were always too far."

"But . . . you're-"

"Merlin, we don't have long," she advised, becoming extremely serious as she regarded him in front of her.

"Is it really you?" He just had to ask and she nodded, a smile playing on her lips.

"I swore that one day I would repay you," he remembered her words as she lay dying on the banks of his own lake. "Now is the moment."

"I don't understand."

"There is but one weapon that can slay something which is already dead," she stared at him and he almost smacked himself for not thinking of it earlier.

"A blade forged in a dragon's breath." He whispered and she nodded.

"That weapon lies at the bottom of your very lake, Merlin. Where you hid it." He nodded, knowing exactly where the blade was. No one from the lake had touched the blade, leaving it where it was in the depths for none other than Merlin himself had the authority to move it.

"But . . . Morgana's men are not dead," he reasoned, wondering how a weapon that could slay that which is dead could help them defeat an immortal army. "They are very much _alive_."

"Anyone who toys with the cup pays a terrible price," Merlin knew that from his own experience with the cup and Nimueh on the Isle of the Blessed, "the moment they entered their pact with Morgause, they became the living dead. You _must_ retrieve the sword. In your hands it has the power to save Albion."

"Thank you, Freya," he whispered and she smiled at him.

"No," she reached out, her hand running down his cheek but not actually connecting with anything, "it gave me the chance to see you again."

She faded away and Merlin felt the loss immediately. Even knowing that this was her place of rest and that she would be here forever more, was not enough to soothe him. She may have been there but she was not with him and he needed that sometimes.

He quickly dove for the deepest part of the lake, where not even the sunlight could break through. Only his superior sight allowed him to see where the sword was, dropping onto the lake bed and having remained there for the three years. He grabbed the hilt of the sword, pulling it from where it had lain, making his way back to the cave where he placed the sword on the lake bed in there, knowing that none of the other merfolk would either come into the cave or seek to move the sword.

It was later on that day that Merlin heard the sounds of people approaching the lake. He moved to the reeds, using his hiding place to look out for who it was coming to their safe place. His eyes widened as he made out the shapes of Leon and Gwen approaching.

He quickly dove, making his way towards the cave, emerging quickly, startling those in there. It appeared that Arthur had come out of his stupor and was engaging the others, taking on the leadership role he had been neglecting for the last week.

"What is it?" He asked, seeing the expression on Merlin's face, knowing whatever news he had was urgent.

"Leon and Gwen." He said quickly. "They've joined us. They're by the dock. You need to go and meet them. I'll make sure the others know they're off limits."

Arthur nodded and Merlin dove under again, spreading the word that the two newcomers were a part of Arthur's group and not to be harmed. Merlin surfaced again near where the others had met up with Leon and Gwen, startling the both of them. Leon gave him a wary look but Gwen gasped upon seeing him, thinking that he had been dead for those last few months.

"Merlin?" She looked down at him, confused and he shrugged. She didn't understand why he was in the water and didn't have time to ask as Elyan emerged from the trees, sword at the ready.

"We've been found!" He ran down the embankment, sword at the ready. "They're almost upon us."

Arthur turned to Gwaine, heeding Elyan's warning. "Get Gaius." He pushed him towards the cave where Gaius was still hiding. "We need to get out of here." He looked down at Merlin, worried for his friend.

"Don't worry about me," he insisted, waving for Arthur to move. "We'll take care of this lot and I'll follow you."

"You'll be able to find us?" Arthur asked, concerned that he may lose them as they ran.

"You're forgetting about my sense of smell," Merlin smirked, moving away from where Arthur was standing. "And don't forget, none of you have been able to bathe properly in a week so I'll be able to pick you up pretty quickly. No go!" He didn't wait for Arthur to move before diving and quickly calling to the others. They flooded to him, enticed by the thought of more of the immortal soldiers approaching.

They weren't disappointed when a dozen of them emerged from the woods and they began their songs in earnest. The immortal soldiers were drawn to the water with no hope of escape. They made short work of the soldiers, ripping them to pieces and Merlin caught sight of Morgause watching helplessly from the bank as her soldiers were devoured by the merfolk she had heard about but never come across herself. She didn't see Merlin as she watched, hearing her men screaming as they died, the only proof they had been there being the giant pool of red at the edge of the lake.

He smirked as she stormed off into the woods, her men gone. She needed to get back to Camelot, to Morgana and he needed to follow Arthur as quickly as possible.

He swam to the cave where they had been hiding, grabbing the sword and quickly exiting through the tunnel to the second cave that had both underwater and above ground access. The clothes that Gaius had brought for him were still there and still dry. He placed the sword on the rock and hauled himself out of the water, muttering the spell that would turn him human for the first time in just over three months. He stood, a little shaky on legs he hadn't had for so long and uttered a quick spell to dry himself, not wanting to be saddled with wet clothes as he tried to catch up with Arthur.

He dressed quickly, the feeling of clothes slightly odd after not having worn them for so long. He grabbed the sword and climbed out of the tunnel that led onto the land. He stumbled a little, still getting used to having legs once more before quickly making his way round to the other cave and to where the group had set out from.

As he'd told Arthur, it wasn't hard to pick up their scent. Even with the knowledge that they wouldn't be attacked by the merpeople, the group had been wary about washing themselves in the lake. Whether it had to do with the merpeople or the fact that they could be found at a moment's notice, as they had been, Merlin didn't know but it made for easy tracking as he followed them through the woods.

Their scent trails led him to an old castle and he knew that they had taken refuge inside. He made his way inside slowly, knowing that they would be on the lookout for anyone following them. He narrowly dodged a blade that came swinging for him, seeing Lancelot on the other end. He grinned as the man threw his arms around him, laughing at the sight of him.

"They met up with us as we ran," Arthur explained as he saw Merlin, a small smile on his face, grateful that his friend had been able to find them so quickly. "You weren't lying about your nose."

"Or maybe it was just your smell." Merlin shot back and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," he turned, gesturing to the large man that was standing off to one side, watching Merlin warily. He guessed that he was Lancelot's companion, considering he had never seen him before. "This is Percival. He caused a rock fall that blocked the way behind us, in case there were any soldiers of Morgause's following us." Merlin shook his head, silently indicating that none of them had escaped. "Bet Morgause isn't happy about that."

"Furious, more like." Merlin grinned, walking over to Arthur. "She most likely won't be taking any more soldiers near the lake again."

"What happened to them?" Gwen asked, looking between Merlin and Arthur warily.

"Well, let's just say, the merpeople in the lake like immortal soldiers and we'll leave it at that." Merlin explained and Gwen paled at the thought of what had happened to the soldiers.

"So," Gwaine grinned as he walked over to Merlin, "you got your legs back, then?"

"Looks like it," Merlin chuckled, shaking his head, seeing but not addressing the confused look from Gwen. "Did you manage to find anything?" Merlin asked and Arthur nodded.

"There were several weapons we believe were left by bandits but not much more." He answered distractedly as he found something that piqued his curiosity. He began pulling at a cloth in front of him, revealing a large stone round table, many segments of the same size separating it and each equating to a chair in front of them. "Here, come and join me." Everyone made their way to the table, each taking a seat. Arthur led Gwen to a seat next to him and indicated that Merlin take the other at his right hand. The placement was not lost on any of them, least of all the prince and the warlock themselves.

Arthur stood in front of his seat, addressing all of them as they sat there. "This table belonged to the ancient kings of Camelot," he explained, looking to each of them. "A round table afforded no one man more importance than any other." They all looked at each other, the significance of Arthur's words resonating through all of them. "They believed in equality in all things. So it seems fitting that we revive this tradition now. Without each of you," he looked around the people sat at the table, "we would not be here." He paused, thinking over what he was about to say. "My father has languished in prison for too long. Tomorrow, I make my bid to rescue him. Are there any around this table who would join me?"

It took a moment before Lancelot stood up. "You taught me the values of being a knight. The code by which a man should live his life. To fight with honour." The others nodded along as the man spoke, agreeing with his words. "For justice, freedom and all that's good. I believe in the world that you will build." Arthur nodded his thanks, not having words as Elyan stood up.

"Even though I was a commoner, a nobody you were willing to lay down your life for me, Arthur." He fixed the prince with a stare that held a promise. One that would not be broken. "It is now my turn to repay you."

Leon was the next one to stand, his devotion to his prince clear. "I have fought alongside you many times, there is no one that I would rather die for." His promise was final and resolute and Arthur valued those words.

"I think we've no chance," Gwaine piped up, standing along with the others. "But I wouldn't miss it for the world." Arthur let out a soft snort of amusement, expecting nothing less from Gwaine.

Much to Arthur's surprise, Percival stood and Arthur regarded the man he had only just met. "Your enemies are my enemies."

Gaius stood, head held high, proud as he looked upon the boy he had watched grow into a man. "If you need an old man."

Gwen stood, looking at Arthur with love and devotion in her eyes as he turned to her. "You know the answer."

By this point, the only one still sitting was Merlin and he couldn't help the smile as Arthur turned to him. He wrinkled his nose in thought. "No, don't really fancy it."

"You don't have a choice, Merlin." Arthur shot back and he shrugged standing up. He gave Arthur a smile that neither of them needed words to explain. Merlin would give everything for Arthur and the prince knew it. He had already put his life on the line for Arthur, exposing himself for what he really was to save the life of his prince. He would do so again.

"I want to thank you all," Arthur started, looking down at the table in front of him, "for staying loyal to me in Camelot's hour of need. I'll do something that my father won't approve of."

Merlin, Gaius and Gwen stepped back as Arthur had the four peasant men – well, three peasant men and Gwaine – kneel in front of him, bestowing upon them the knighthood that would mean they were part of the great army of Camelot. Merlin couldn't help but grin as he watched the joy in Lancelot's eyes at his dream finally coming true.

They soon separated, bedding down wherever they could and Merlin found himself close to Lancelot, turning to face the newly knighted man. "You're a knight." He grinned as Lancelot turned to face him. "At last."

"For how long?" He didn't sound too optimistic that it would last long after they'd taken back Camelot.

"Who knows?" He answered honestly.

Lancelot turned on his side, regarding Merlin as he lay there. "What are you planning?" He asked, his voice low as he was aware of the others around him. "And don't even think about lying. I know you too well."

Merlin looked around, making sure that everyone else was asleep. "It's too difficult to explain."

"You can tell me." Lancelot urged and Merlin sighed gently, turning on his side, leaning closer to Lancelot.

"Morgana has the Cup of Life." He explained and Lancelot nodded. "If I can find it and empty it of the blood within, then the army will be destroyed and Morgana will be powerless."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Lancelot reminded him and Merlin raised an eyebrow. "It's guarded. By an _immortal_ _army_."

"Aren't you forgetting something?" He shot back. "Not only am I a magical creature but I have magic myself."

"Doesn't make you immortal." Lancelot's tone was grave and Merlin didn't answer. What Lancelot didn't know was that unless he was killed by an outside force, Merlin could expect to live a very long time. And due to him being a magical creature, there wasn't a lot out there that could harm him, even when he had legs rather than his tail. "You know, Merlin, you're the one Arthur should knight. You're the bravest of us all."

"You know he can't do that, Lancelot." Merlin sighed and Lancelot nodded, laying back down and settling in to sleep. Merlin did the same not too long afterwards, waking with the sun, the others following not long after.

It was after they'd had some breakfast that they all gathered around the round table again, Arthur laying out plans for their attack.

"There's a tunnel under the northern ramparts which brings us out only paces from the entrance to the dungeons," he advised looking around the group. "It will be _well guarded_. So if we're going to break everyone out, we must remain unobserved. We cannot let them raise the alarm."

"We need to take out the warning bell. That way the warriors will have no means of communication." Lancelot offered and Arthur nodded.

"Good idea,"

"I'll need someone with me who knows the castle." He advised and Merlin knew what he was doing. He was giving Merlin a reason to hunt for the cup without Arthur getting suspicious. If Arthur knew that Merlin was going to try to find the cup on his own, he would try to stop him and he couldn't risk that.

"I'll go," he offered and Arthur nodded, missing the look that passed between Merlin and Lancelot. Gaius, however, did not miss the exchange and having overheard the conversation the night before, he was concerned for Merlin's safety. Magical creature or not, Morgause was still powerful enough to harm him should he come across her.

They all split off to ready what they needed and Gaius quickly made his way over to Merlin, warning him to be safe and that he worried about him. Merlin understood, the old man having been like a father to him in the time he had been in Camelot.

The group crept towards Camelot, hiding in the bushes and keeping out of sight of the guards that were milling around, the red tree on the black background a stark contrast to the red and gold of the Pendragon crest that usually adorned the castle.

As Merlin and Lancelot quietly navigated the halls, Merlin able to warn of any guards coming due to his keen hearing, he was suddenly struck with a wave of pure power from the cup. It was crying out, sensing Merlin's power over Life and Death, calling for him to stop the abuse of its power. "I can sense the cup's power." He nodded in front of him. "This way."

They didn't get more than a few paces when one of the guards that had slipped by Merlin's senses came upon them, startled by the sight of the knight and warlock. Lancelot immediately engaged him, trading blows before he stepped around him and the guard stumbled towards Merlin who swung his blade at the man, watching as he exploded into sparks and ashes at its touch.

Lancelot stared in disbelief at what had just happened. "What is that?" He asked, eyeing Merlin warily.

"It was forged in a dragon's breath." Merlin answered, knowing that Lancelot wanted more of an answer than that but not having a chance to give him one. He walked past the bewildered knight towards where he felt the power of the cup coming from.

They encountered four guards on the door and Merlin had Lancelot force them towards him, the blade acting as it had with the first one, as they manoeuvred round the guards and into the throne room, seeing the cup on a pedestal, surrounded by six more guards. The two of them looked at each other before they confronted the men.

Merlin quickly destroyed the ones he was confronted with, finishing off the ones Lancelot channelled towards him before hearing the knight cry out in pain, clutching his shoulder as the soldier pulled his blade out. Lancelot swung around, his blade aiming wildly through the pain and Merlin stepped in between him and the immortal man. He had obviously seen his comrades' fall to the blade in the warlock's hand and managed to dodge several more times than they had. He still succumbed to the power of the blade, exploding into ash as the others had.

Merlin ran towards the cup as the doors behind him opened. He was immediately thrown backwards through the air, crashing into the wall at the far end of the throne room and landing on the floor, winded. Morgause took his momentary disorientation to mean that he was down and walked over to him, smug as he looked up at her, catching his breathe.

"I have a feeling I won't be seeing you again," she held a hand out over him, believing she had won when another voice sounded behind him.

"No," Gaius stepped into the room and Merlin cursed in his mind. "You won't." He lifted a hand, pointing at Morgause. " _Oferswinge!_ "

She flew back, away from Merlin landing heavily before she managed to regain her footing. She made to attack Gaius but a blast of raw power from Merlin had her flying backwards, head crashing into one of the stone pillars that littered the room. She did not get back up when she landed.

"Merlin!" Gaius brought his attention back to what needed to be done. "The cup!"

Merlin immediately stood, running across the throne room, grabbing the sword on the way and striking the cup with the blade. The blood flew as the cup was tipped off the pedestal, landing on and running down the pillar next to it.

Merlin immediately felt the release of power as the enchantment over the immortal army was broken, the soldiers disappearing into nothing but ash and dust as their opponents looked on, confused. Merlin gave Gaius a small smile which disappeared as Morgana entered the room, screaming as she saw her sister lying on the ground, unmoving.

She picked her head up, cradling her in her lap, sobbing as she tried to wake her.

"It's over, Morgana," Merlin said to her, his tone hard and controlled.

She looked up at him, shocked to find him staring at her, clearly believing that he had been dead all this time. Her shock quickly disappeared as she answered him, "No, you're wrong." She was furious. He could see it in her expression and hear it in her voice. "This has just begun." She turned back to her sister, sobbing gently.

Merlin, Lancelot and Gaius quickly made their way out of the throne room as Morgana's sobs became screeches, each one releasing an immense burst of power from the witch. They grabbed Lancelot pulling him out and to safety, avoiding the falling stone as the room around them crumbled.

Arthur had sent the new knights and Sir Leon off to fetch Gwen from the castle, ensuring her safe passage back. He, himself had taken his father back to his chambers, seeing that he was settled before he attempted to get any sorted for himself.

He felt his brow furrow as he search the castle but couldn't find Merlin. He wracked his brain for where he could be but came up empty. He quickly made his way to Gaius's chambers, trying to see if the old man knew where he was.

"Arthur," Gaius sighed as he continued to straighten up his chambers. "He's most likely gone back to the lake."

"Why would he have done that?" Arthur asked, confused at Merlin's choice to leave again rather than stay in Camelot. He had to know that he was welcome here.

"Because, sire, everyone in Camelot believes him to be dead. Even if it was never confirmed as such, that is what most believe." Gaius sighed, placing a stack of books onto the table in front of him. "Even though his reappearance could be explained, it might be that Merlin doesn't want to cause any undue stress at this point in time." Arthur sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Why don't you go and see him in a few days' time, sire. I'm sure he could explain a lot more than I could. I didn't even know he had left until you came looking for him."

Gaius was in fact partially right. Merlin had returned to the lake but first he had taken the sword forged by the dragon and thrust it deep into a large rock, ensuring that no one would ever remove it from where he had placed it. The dragon had bade him when he first forged it that it should not be wielded by anyone other than Arthur. First throwing it into the Lake of Avalon, he had ensured that for a time and now he had ensured that no one other than himself could remove it.

It was only after that that he had returned to the lake, heading back down through the same cave he had left through, removing his clothing and stowing them where they had been from when Gaius bought them to the lake for him, before slipping into the water and into his true form, into the lake where he was back home.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

It was a few weeks later when Arthur turned up at the lake. He had brought the knights and Gwen along with him to see Merlin. Gwen had been asking questions about how Merlin had been alive and how he had been at the lake. She had been asking where Merlin had gone, where he had been before he had appeared at the lake and Arthur had tried putting her off as long as he could. He knew that it would be difficult for Gwen to understand what Merlin was and maybe longer for her to come to terms with him.

He had decided to take her to the lake so that Merlin could explain himself as he knew that he wouldn't be able to explain it without making a mess of it.

Merlin lifted his head from where he was laying on the edge of the lake, the merpeople lounging around soaking up the last of the sun before the late autumn chill would set in. He caught the scent of Arthur and the other knights along with Gwen, a small smile gracing his lips. If they had come to the lake, there must be at least some stability back in Camelot, for Arthur would not have left without it, no matter how close the destination was.

He slipped into the water and made his way over to the dock, swimming underneath it. He heard Gwen's gasp as she caught sight of his tail. He kept close to the surface, catching snippets of what they were saying. Gwen wanted to get away from the lake, off the dock but Arthur was trying to convince her that it was alright, that they were safe. Everything she had heard of the lake and the monsters she had been told lived within in was at the forefront of her mind and she was terrified they were going to be attacked where they stood. Especially considering she could see one of them just below them.

"Gwen," he heard Arthur's voice as he lifted his head from the water underneath the dock. It being slow low to the water, he wasn't able to pull his head out completely, his mouth and chin still submerged. "Gwen, it's alright."

"Arthur, you know what's in the lake!" She pleaded, scared, trying to pull back. He held her firmly in place, restraining but not hurting her as he looked her in the eye.

"Yes, Guinevere, I do," he glanced to his knights who all nodded. "We all do."

"So why are we here?" She looked at the rest of them, seeing the looks on their faces, wondering why they were all so at ease. "If you know how dangerous it is, then why are we here?"

"Guinevere," Arthur sighed, pulling her attention back to him again. "Do you remember, when you and Leon found us?" She nodded, looking confused. "We had been hiding here. We were here for a week, Guinevere. We're safe here. They won't hurt us."

"How can you be sure about that?" She wasn't convinced and Merlin sighed, submerging once again. He swam out from underneath the dock and he heard Gwen let out another shriek as she spotted him. "Arthur!"

"I know," Arthur sighed, letting her go. She didn't run, watching as Arthur walked to the edge of the dock and sitting down on the edge. He looked back at her and she stepped away from him her face fearful as he lowered a hand into the water, smiling as he felt Merlin's tail brush against his fingers. "We're perfectly safe here, Gwen." He looked to the water. "You can come up now."

Merlin took a deep breath before emerging in front of Arthur, knowing that Gwen could see him from where she was. She gasped, her hands flying to her mouth as she looked at him. Tears welled in her eyes and she shook her head as he moved to the dock, resting his arms on the wood in front of him, watching her carefully. He didn't move any more, not wanting to frighten her any more than she was already.

"You're . . ." she whispered, shaking her head. "You're one of them."

"I'm sorry, Gwen." He said softly, looking down at his hands, feeling the guilt of not having told her. It was the same guilt he had felt when Arthur had found out, knowing that they considered him a friend and that he had kept a huge part of himself from them. She had been his first friend in Camelot, introducing herself when he had been shoved in the stocks after Gaius had freed him from the dungeons for defying Arthur that first time. She had been the first one to befriend him and they had been close ever since. He could see the betrayal in her eyes as she looked at him, completely at ease in the water. She could not see his tail but the implication was there nonetheless. "I wanted to tell you but . . . I couldn't put you in that kind of danger."

"What do you mean?" She shook her head, her hands moving away from her mouth, linking in front of her. She didn't approach him but the fact that she hadn't run screaming was a plus in Merlin's book.

"Imagine if I had been caught," he shrugged and she shook her head. "If I'd somehow been caught and you had known, you would have been right there with me in punishment. I couldn't let that happen to you."

"So you really are . . ."

"Half fish?" Arthur supplied earning a glare and a dousing from Merlin. "What? You are." He laughed and Merlin shook his head, rolling his eyes. Arthur turned back to Gwen, the seriousness returned to his face. "Merlin is the reason we are safe here. He's the reason we were able to stay here during Morgana's occupation of Camelot. He's the reason I'm still alive, Gwen."

"Then why did you say he was dead?" She shot back, glaring at Arthur who winced at the look.

"When he saved me for the second time that was when I found out what he was." Arthur sighed and Merlin nodded, remembering the river. It seemed like so long ago but in reality is was a scant few months. "I had a choice to make. I didn't know whether the knights had seen him in his true form and I wasn't going to risk him being harmed in Camelot, not after what he'd done. So I let him go. We needed something to tell everyone about his disappearance because, despite being a clumsy oaf-"

"Hey!" Merlin's head shot up, glaring at the prince. "You try learning to walk on legs after a lifetime with a tail. It's not easy."

"Alright, I'll give you that one," Arthur chuckled, looking up at Gwen again. "I knew that he would be missed and he was. Telling everyone that we weren't able to find him after that was the simplest option. We never said that he was dead, Gwen. Only that he hadn't been found."

"It was certainly implied." She snapped, looking between the two of them.

"I know you've been hurt, Gwen and I'm sorry," Merlin looked up at her, his eyes searching her face. "That was never my intention. I knew that when I saved Arthur, there was a risk he would find out but it was a chance I had to take. I couldn't let him die."

She nodded slowly, looking down at her hands. "I understand." She sighed, walking over to where Merlin and Arthur were slowly, still slightly wary, her eyes darting around the dock as she moved.

"Don't worry, Gwen," Merlin assured her. "Even if you were to jump in the centre of the lake, no harm will come to you."

"How can you promise that?" She asked, glancing behind him as if his words were about to be proven false and they were about to be lured into the water by the merfolk unseen.

"Because no one disobeys the golden one," Arthur mimicked Karina's words and Merlin rolled his eyes.

"What does that mean?" Gwen looked between them, confused and Arthur chuckled, gesturing towards Merlin.

"Merlin here, is the only merman in history to have a golden tail." Her eyebrows shot up and he shrugged, unable to answer why himself. He had thought about Arthur's theory that it was his magic, combined with his and Gaius's theory that it might have had something to do with his destiny as Emrys. He had a feeling they would need to speak to the druids to find out. If _they_ knew, that is. "He's somewhat in control here in the lake."

"We don't eat _everyone_ that comes to the lake, Arthur." Merlin rolled his eyes and Gwen paled slightly at Merlin's mention of them eating people. Arthur and the others had seen them lure enough of the immortal army to their doom over the week they had been hiding in the cave so they had come to understand that it was just a part of who they were are creatures. Gaius had been right, there were plenty of other creatures that were not magical that wouldn't hesitate to try and make a meal out of a human.

Gwen, unfortunately, had not had the experience they had.

"Can I . . ." She shook her head, taking a breath. "Can I see it?"

Merlin gave her a small smile as she asked, feeling that her asking was one step closer to her understanding of what he was. That he wasn't going to hurt her. Of regaining that trust they had had for so long. As servants they had held a comradery that they hadn't with the others. He pulled himself out of the water, sitting on the side of the dock as if he were human, dangling his legs into the water before laying down on his side, exposing more of his tail.

She gasped again as she saw it, the water creating tiny diamond like sparkles on his scales, the gold shimmering underneath. Arthur grinned as he looked at Merlin who shrugged, resting his head on his arm as he usually did when taking in the sun. It was only around midday and the sun was high in the sky. The fact that it was starting to get cooler as the autumn progressed didn't matter. Sun was sun and Merlin and the rest of the merfolk were going to soak up as much of it as they could get.

She knelt down next to him, reaching out slightly before pulling her hand away looking to him for permission. He gave her a small smile and Arthur took off his glove, taking her hand in his.

"Here," he placed her hand where he had upon touching Merlin's tail, running her fingers gently over the scales, causing them to twitch slightly at the feather-light touch. "He likes it there." He flinched away at the splash of water directed at him.

"I'm not a cat, Arthur." Merlin groused and Arthur laughed.

"No," he shook his head, looking back at the merman. "But you didn't deny it." Merlin rolled his eyes, resting his head back down on his arm. He looked over as he heard footsteps coming down the dock, seeing Sir Leon approaching. The others smiled at Merlin, giving him a wave. He looked back to Sir Leon, realising that this was the first time, other than a glimpse at the river, the knight was seeing his tail. The others had become used to it over the week they had hidden here but Sir Leon had not been there during that time. He looked down at Merlin, giving him a small smile as he knelt down by the merman's head.

"I never got to thank you," he said softly, his eyes diverting to where Arthur and Gwen were sitting, Gwen's delicate touch still running up and down Merlin's scales. "For saving Arthur."

"I couldn't let him die, Leon," Merlin sighed, looking up at the knight, still feeling oddly relaxed even with the man looming over him. Maybe Arthur had a point, not that he'd ever admit that to the prince. "I know what people think about my kind but I couldn't let him drown. He wouldn't have been harmed by those in the lake but his armour was too heavy. He wouldn't have been able to get back into the boat before it pulled him under."

"Well, I just wanted to thank you," Leon grinned, placing a hand on Merlin's shoulder, giving a light squeeze as the other knights made their way onto the dock.

They stayed at the lake for another few hours, Gwen, now that she had gotten over her initial shock, asking Merlin what it was like to live under the lake. He didn't hold back as he spoke about the life under the water and the other merfolk in the lake. They ate up his stories as though they had never heard anything more spectacular before reasoning that they had to go. The knights and Gwen made their way up the dock, but Arthur lingered, calling that he would catch up.

"Is everything alright, Arthur?" He asked, seeing the prince's conflicted expression.

"I don't know, Merlin." He sighed, looking down at the man in front of him. "Hearing your stories, life here in the lake sounds so peaceful and carefree," Merlin shrugged, realising that it was. "Kind of makes me want to escape."

"What do you mean?" Merlin pushed himself up, confused by Arthur's words. He loved Camelot more than anything and would never abandon his people, no matter the reason. There had to have been something more going on.

"Everything that's happened since Morgana betrayed us," he sighed, his expression darkening as he pulled his gloves on. "My father still hasn't come out of his chambers, he hardly says a word to anyone. She's broken him, Merlin. And I don't know how to fix him."

"Maybe you can't." Merlin reasoned and Arthur looked to him, confused. "Maybe what your father needs is time." Arthur nodded, looking down at his hands again. "He's suffered a huge betrayal by Morgana and time may be the only thing that can heal that hurt." Arthur had to admit that his words made sense. Merlin let out a sigh as he regarded the prince in front of him. "Perhaps we're heading for a new time. You may need to take charge." Merlin advised and Arthur nodded. "Become . . . become king."

"Who knows what the future will bring." Arthur nudged Merlin once more before he stood up, grinning as he turned to join the others at the end of the dock. He turned back to the end of the dock to see that Merlin was no longer there, ripples on the water the only sign that he had dived below once more.

At least Arthur knew that he had a place to escape to should he ever need it.

Over the next few weeks Gwen had taken to coming to visit him at the lake. Her first solo visit, she was extremely nervous, jumping back in fright as he had emerged in the water next to the dock. As her visits continued, she became less nervous and more than once, she had been accompanied by one of the knights. The other merpeople had become a little more confident when it came to the knights, somehow knowing that with these particular men, they weren't going to be under any kind of attack from Camelot if they were seen.

The knights knew that they were safe from the merpeople in the lake but they were also aware that that didn't make them any less dangerous to be around. Karina, it seemed had taken a liking Percival and it would seem the large, quiet man wasn't sure how to take her approaches. Merlin had just laughed and advised that she wouldn't stop but that she meant no harm.

Percival didn't look so sure.

Merlin had just emerged from the cave he shared with his mother at first light, the habit from when he had been a servant in Camelot still rousing him whenever the sun rose. He had briefly considered moving to a cave lower down where the light couldn't reach but then realised that he didn't want to be somewhere without his mother and he couldn't ask her to move. This was where they had been settled his entire life and they had an entire collection of things built up. He didn't want to move her.

He just had to hope that he grew out of the habit, even though it had now been five months since he had left Camelot. Winter's chill was crossing the land and the majority of them stayed submerged, not wanting to feel the wind's chill above the surface. There was one more plus side about living under the water. While it may chill slightly in the winter, the deeper you went, the warmer the water was, the winter's cold not able to breach that far.

"Merlin," he turned to see Karina approaching, glancing at the surface. "You smell them too?"

To be honest he hadn't but now that she had brought it up, he could smell and hear two humans at the side of the lake. The two of them pushed upwards, emerging behind the reeds the merfolk tended to use as cover. The winter's cold had no killed them off and Merlin was grateful.

He hissed as he saw Morgana and Morgause approaching the side of the lake. Morgana looked nervous but Morgause looked triumphant as she looked upon the great expanse of water.

"Who are they?" Karina whispered, looking out as he was doing, hearing the hiss he had let lose. It wasn't often Merlin was angry enough to sound so vicious so she knew they were humans that had angered him greatly.

"Morgana and Morgause." Merlin responded, his tone dark and his eyes stormy.

She let out a low hiss, having heard those names many times when the humans had dwelled in the cave. "The woman that toyed with the Cup of Life?" She looked to Merlin who nodded gravely. After they had found the Cup amongst the rubble left in Morgana's wake, Arthur had brought it to the Lake of Avalon, giving it to Merlin to keep hidden. He had done so, placing it where no human would find it. To the merpeople, the power of Life and Death was precious and they would not remove it from where it had been hidden. Not for anything or anyone.

The Cup would not be seen again.

"The very same," he confirmed and she nodded, her eyes narrowed and dark with animosity. "They can't see me. They both know that I'm alive but if they were to find out what I am, it could be dangerous and not just for us."

Karina nodded, looking back over at the two women who were clearly waiting for something to happen. Morgana was standing a little way back from the edge but Morgause stood next to the water, another half step and she would be in the lake. "You would have thought after she saw what had happened to her men, she would be more cautious."

"She is a powerful witch." Merlin explained and Karina nodded. "She does not think like anyone else would."

"Do you wish for me to be . . . rid of them?" He smirked at the suggestion in Karina's tone, the idea truly tempting but shaking his head nonetheless. While he had betrayed him, he knew that Arthur would most likely not want any harm to come to Morgana. And with her being with Morgause, any songs sung or attacks made would encompass them both.

"Find out what they want." He advised, turning to look at her and she nodded. "Make sure they are aware they are not welcome here. Let them go this once but be clear that this is a onetime deal. That if they return, they will not be leaving." She nodded, submerging and making her way to the two women.

He looked at where they were before diving himself, emerging a little way away, out of sight but able to hear what was being said.

"Sister, are you sure we should be here?" He could hear the tremble in Morgana's voice and it reminded him of when she had first discovered she had magic. She feared the lake that was clear, not liking being so close to something she had heard such horror stories about.

He smirked as he spied Karina in the water, causing ripples and essentially taunting the two women with her presence.

"Do not worry, sister." Morgause's voice was confident as though she had everything under control. She relied on her powers and that, especially in this case, was dangerous. She believed that she could overpower anything in the lake, never dreaming that a simple hummed tune could be her demise.

He heard Morgana gasp as Karina broke the surface and Merlin moved slightly to see the wicked grin on her face. With her deep red hair, matching lips and tail, Karina truly was a sight to behold. She looked exactly like the sirens men feared and he knew that she had been the perfect choice to confront the witches that had approached the lake.

"You've come to a dangerous place," she stated in lieu of a greeting, her voice taunting as she tilted her head to one side. "You should leave now."

"We could do," Morgause looked down at the mermaid in front of her, a confident smile on her face. "But I think I have a proposal that might interest you."

"I doubt that." Karina returned Morgause's smirk and Merlin's interest was piqued. What did she think she could offer the merpeople that they would want? They didn't have need of anything. "You have nothing that we could want or need. Well," her smirk turned into an evil smile that had even Morgause stepping backwards a step. "Almost nothing."

Merlin smirked, wondering how much they would actually be able to get off the two women. Neither of them would really give much of a meal, they were so thin.

"Not even the chance to get your revenge on Camelot. On Uther Pendragon." Morgause stepped forwards once again and Karina laughed, a deep throaty chuckle that had Morgause looking on in confusion.

"Where would you get that idea?" She shook her head, smirking up at the witch. "Though Uther Pendragon's Purge was vicious and deadly he has never been able to harm a creature in this lake. Not one of my kind has fallen at the hands of Uther Pendragon. We have no need for revenge."

"Do you not care for those with magic he has slaughtered?" Morgana stepped forward, a little closer to the lake but nowhere near as close as her sister. "Does their loss of life mean nothing to you?"

"What happens in the world of men has no bearing on us." She looked to the dark haired sister who stepped back slightly at the fierceness of the gaze. "The war being waged between Camelot and magic is a war of men. We will not interfere." Now _that_ wasn't exactly true. They would but not for them. The only one that would receive the help of the merpeople would be Arthur.

"So you will sit back and watch as magical people and creatures are slaughtered at the hands of the Pendragons? First Uther and later Arthur will be no better." Morgause smirked. "It is only a matter of time before he comes for you."

"You see, that is where you are wrong." Karina returned the smirk with a far more deadly one of her own. "An accord has been struck between the prince of Camelot and the Golden One of the lake." Morgause's expression darkened. "There is a truce between those that dwell in the Lake of Avalon and in Camelot. You will find no help here, Morgause." The witch blinked at the use of her name. "The Golden One has bid me give you a warning. You are free to go this time, unharmed but you are not welcome here. Should you return, you will have met your doom." She looked between the sisters. "I would leave now before he changes his mind."

She dived, leaving the two sisters confused on the bank of the lake. They stood there for a few moments, Morgause seething at the thought that she had lost powerful allies in the lake. She had seen a portion of what they could do when they had destroyed her immortal army and she had wanted their power for herself.

Needless to say, that wasn't going to happen.

They quickly left the lake after Karina's warning and Merlin had to wonder if the words would be heeded. They were making their way up one of the rivers that fed into the lake, so Merlin had one of the other mermaids in the lake discreetly follow them, trying to find out what they were up to.

She returned a few weeks later with news that Merlin didn't want to hear but was surprised at nonetheless.

They both knew that he was alive but that he wasn't in Camelot. They were looking for him for some reason. Maybe with how close he had been to Arthur, they thought that he would know something that could be useful. What made them think that he knew anything, even when they knew that he was not with the prince right now?

She said they had passed into the newly crowned Lot's kingdom. After Cenred had died, there had been squabbles for his throne, Lot coming out the victor and claiming the crown. She had advised that they had passed by another gathering of merfolk and they would carry on the observation as long as he required it. He nodded, thanking her for her forward thinking. With the speed they could move, anything the two witches did within a reasonable distance of any stretch of water or river, they would have back to him in hours or days, depending on where they were.

Merlin had a feeling they wouldn't stray too far from Camelot.

What they wanted was there.

It was a week later that Arthur visited the lake once again, meeting Merlin in the cave considering the temperature drop. Though the lake did not freeze over, there was a light frost that covered the surface, belying the cold of the day. The caves around the lake were always at a constant temperature, providing a cool resting place in the summer – not that they were ever used considering how much the merpeople loved the sun – and a warmer place in the winter.

Merlin advised Arthur of Morgana and Morgause's visit and Arthur looked immediately tense. He had looked slightly relieved as Merlin advised that he had Karina let them go but with a warning. He nodded, understanding Merlin's actions and not needing to question why.

"So they know about the truce between Camelot and the merpeople of the lake?" He asked and Merlin nodded.

"They needed to know that they would not find any help here." Merlin advised and Arthur nodded, not meeting Merlin's gaze. "What's the matter?"

"It's nothing," Arthur mumbled and Merlin placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Arthur?" He looked down at the merman, seeing the look in his eyes, questioning. "Whatever it is, you can tell me."

Arthur took a deep breath, looking out onto the shimmer of the water that lit up the cave. "It's my father." Merlin nodded, knowing that Uther's health would have been prominent in Arthur's mind. "He's not getting any better. If anything he's gotten _worse_."

"It will take time, Arthur," Merlin repeated his words from when they had visited after the reclaiming Camelot.

"I know," he nodded, giving Merlin a small smile. "Well, at least I've got my uncle to help me now." Merlin furrowed a brow, wondering what he meant. "A couple of weeks ago, my uncle Agravaine came to Camelot, to give me his help." Merlin nodded, something about the sudden appearance of Arthur's uncle putting him on edge. Arthur took a breath, standing up and looking down at Merlin. "I should be going."

"Yes, as Prince Regent you've surely got a lot on your plate." He smirked and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"More than I thought I would." Arthur had indeed taken the mantle of command, king in all but name and he had made clear that he would not usurp his father. While his father was still alive, Arthur would not be taking the crown, something Merlin could completely understand.

"Hey," he called as Arthur turned to leave the cave. "Tell Gaius to come and see me, will you?" Merlin smirked and Arthur gave him a wry grin back. "It's been a while since he's come to see me."

"Missing the old man, are you?" He teased and Merlin shrugged.

In all honesty, Merlin _did_ miss Gaius. The old man had become like a father to Merlin and he had missed seeing him daily. There was another reason he wanted to see Gaius. Merlin found it suspicious that his uncle had just appeared out of nowhere with no warning.

If anyone else had any suspicions about Agravaine, it would be Gaius and he hoped to find out soon.

He bid Arthur farewell as he watched him clamber out of the tunnel, the light sheet of ice that had formed out the outer rim of the tunnel. He couldn't help but chuckle to himself as he submerged into the water, re-joining his family.

As he settled down to sleep with his mother, his mind was racing with what Arthur had just told him. Merlin knew that it wasn't uncommon for family members of a sickly sovereign to appear after long absences. It may have been that Agravaine was really in Camelot to lend Arthur his support but with Arthur's luck with his family members, Merlin wasn't so sure.

He would have to confer with Gaius when he next could.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

It hadn't taken Gaius long to meet Merlin at the lake, heeding his words that Merlin didn't completely trust that Agravaine was in Camelot for purely altruistic means. There might have been something more to his visit and Gaius agreed that he would keep an eye on the nobleman. He didn't really seem to share Merlin's views that he was there for another reason other than to help Arthur but he also knew that if Merlin was wary, there was a good reason.

After his visit with Gaius, things appeared to settle down in Camelot. Arthur often visited, wanting to escape the trials of running the kingdom, not knowing if his father would ever get any better and trying to deal with that along with everything else that was happening. He would often come to the cave and call for Merlin, waiting for the merman to appear. He enjoyed Merlin's tales of the merpeople below the lake, hearing the small adventures they got into and allowing himself to take a step away from Camelot, even if just for a few short hours.

The other one to visit frequently was Lancelot, appearing in the cave just as Arthur did. There were a couple of the mermaids that had taken a liking to Lancelot, braving the frigid winter air to see him from the middle of the lake as he walked the edge and disappeared. They knew that he was off limits for food but they wouldn't have minded toying with the knight in other ways.

Merlin rolled his eyes at their tittering every time they knew he was there.

Merlin had to feel for Lancelot. Now that Gwen and Arthur's relationship was no longer as secret as it had been before, the knight had to watch the woman he loved start to forge a future with another man. One that he greatly admired and respected. He would never interfere with their relationship and it was slowly breaking his heart. There wasn't anything Merlin could say or do that would help his friend, knowing that Lancelot only wished for some kind of peace. One that he could only find at the tranquillity of the lake.

While the visits decreased somewhat over the winter, Merlin couldn't find fault with it. He knew that it was freezing above the surface of the lake and the only time the merpeople broke the surface was to call for food before dragging it under and feasting. There weren't any humans near the lake at this time of year so they had to make do with the animals that lingered.

As the winter turned to spring and summer, they began returning to the lake, apologising for the fact that they had not been to see Merlin in so long. He waved them off, understanding why they hadn't been and he could see that they were relieved. It wasn't uncommon for Arthur to bring Gwen for a picnic every now and then. He had grown into his role as Prince Regent and while he knew what he was doing now and was more settled in running the kingdom in his father's stead, it was not uncommon for him to need some time away, just a few hours to process what was happening.

"Oh, Merlin," he caught the attention of the merman who was lounging in a group of rocks not far away from where he and Gwen were sitting, causing him to look up, turning over to face them, his tail making ripples in the water as he moved. "Thought you might like to know that the underground reservoirs into the castle have been deepened."

"And why would that interest me?" Merlin looked to Gwen, who was wearing a smug smile as she sat there, watching the two of them. She was obviously spending too much time with Arthur.

"Because I know that the rivers that connect to the lake also connect onto ones that feed into Camelot," Arthur sat back, resting his hands behind him. "The reservoirs as they were would have been too shallow to allow for access so I've had them deepened. To allow for better access for . . . water dwelling friends." Merlin grinned at Arthur, knowing what he was talking about.

By deepening the reservoirs around the castle and the ones that travelled under the castle, feeling into the castle's water supply, he was giving Merlin the opportunity to come into Camelot rather than having to wait for Arthur and the knights to come and see him.

"I know that there is a pool in the dragon's old cave." Arthur acknowledged and Merlin nodded, wondering how Arthur would have known that. "I saw it as we investigated how the dragon escaped. Does that feed into anywhere or is it just a standalone pool."

"It's fed into by one of the reservoirs under the castle. They're everywhere under there. Most of them are deep enough but it's the ones into the castle that aren't." Merlin shrugged and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"You've already investigated them, haven't you?" He sighed and Gwen chuckled.

"Of course," Merlin replied smugly, earning himself a playful glare from the prince. "I had to know an alternate way around the castle if needs be." He shrugged and Arthur rolled his eyes once again, taking a drink from the goblet he had brought with him.

"And did you?"

"Actually yes," Merlin sounded very pleased with himself. "They allow for access to various parts of the castle that you wouldn't be able to get to unseen, otherwise."

"Well, at least that may be of some use." Arthur acquiesced and Merlin was now the one to roll his eyes at the prince.

"Now, now, enough of that, you two." Gwen giggled and the two of them looked at her surprised. "So, does that mean that you'll be coming to visit us, Merlin?" She asked, wrapping her arms around her legs as she looked down at him where he was.

"I don't know," he responded slightly smug as he looked to Arthur. "I haven't been invited yet." He dodged a pebble that Arthur threw at him for his cheek, chuckling lightly to himself. "Of course I will, Gwen."

"Good." She smiled smugly at Arthur who shot him another glare and he shrugged, looking entirely innocent.

They were distracted for a moment by a splashing on the surface of the water, two tails flying about all over the place as Merlin turned rolling his eyes and shaking his head. Just by looking, Arthur and Gwen could see that they were nowhere near as large as Merlin was, guessing that they were only youngsters, playing around. Merlin quickly confirmed that, letting them know that if they got too out of hand, their mothers would come and deal with them.

"Much like I had to with you and Luka, you mean?" The three of them turned to see Merlin's mother floating nearby and he grinned, shaking his head. "I swear, the amount of tussle's the two of you got into. I'm surprised you still have your fins."

Merlin felt himself flush as Gwen giggled, Arthur chuckling alongside her for a moment as his mother settled next to Merlin. Merlin had felt guilty about lying to Arthur about his mother being dead but he knew it was the only way. He knew that Arthur's mother had died in childbirth and he had never known her. Allowing everyone but Gaius in Camelot to believe that his mother was dead was hard, knowing that she was not far away at all. To his surprise, Arthur had not appeared to be upset at Merlin's lie about his mother. He had understood Merlin's reasoning and had not held it against him.

The summer months passed quickly, the days quickly becoming shorter and the weather beginning to chill. As it got colder, the humans weren't able to visit Merlin but as he had promised he would, Merlin found the reservoirs under the castle deeper than they had been previously. It was easy for him to manoeuvre around the underground waterways and avoid detection. He had met with Gaius many times down in the dragon's old cave. The others he had met elsewhere but there was something about the cave that had him call for Gaius. Gaius had admitted the last time he had seen him that Agravaine was acting a little shifty and that he had been keeping an eye on him.

Merlin thanked him before going on to meet Arthur and the knights. They had taken to meeting in another underground cave and Merlin always took great pleasure in making them jump as he emerged in front of him. It would never grow up for him doing that.

Soon winter was upon them once again and the merpeople were preparing for their own celebrations of Samhain. They did not celebrate it in the same way humans did, honouring all the spirits of the world, not only those of the dead. It was a sacred day to the magical world and the merpeople were not excluded from that.

Merlin sighed as he went to his mother, feeling a pull towards the surface. As soon as he emerged, he felt a great force rush through him and the world began to slow. A woman was standing on the shore but Merlin could sense she was not really there. That she was something from the otherworld, even if he did not know what. Her clothes were nothing more than black rags, her eyes sad and empty as she stood there, regarding him.

"Emrys," he felt himself turn cold as she whispered his name, her voice sounding as though it had come from the very depths of the earth. "Emrys. Emrys."

He felt himself sinking as he lost consciousness, barely feeling the arms that wrapped around him and the panicked shouts of his name as they carried him down to the cave he shared with his mother. They were all panicked as they settled him, his mother shooing them out and taking watch over her son. She had never seen him like that before and none of them in the lake had ever known one of their own to lose consciousness like that.

She called for the young mermaid, Marikan and had her travel to Camelot, to get Gaius. She nodded as Hunith told her of the passages that led to the dragon's old cave where she would need to call for him. She left without delay, Hunith immediately moving back to Merlin's side, seeing him shivering slightly. He was cold, something that had never happened while they were down here. She lay down alongside him, pressing her tail against his, hoping that it would help him in some way. So many feelings and sensations were passed through their tails, she only hoped that Marikan could get Gaius to them quickly.

Merlin woke later the next day, completely ignorant of the startling screams that had begun the night before after the appearance of the woman on the shore. He startled back into consciousness and scaring his mother even further. She wrapped her arms around him, terrified and he returned her embrace. He was still shivering slightly as Marikan returned, telling them that Gaius had arrived and was at the edge of the lake. Merlin went to him immediately, sitting at the edge of the lake as Gaius met him.

"What happened, Merlin?" Gaius asked, grabbing the young man's chin, feeling the chill he somehow knew had not come from the chill of the air around them.

"Last night," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I felt something calling me towards the surface. And when I broke it, there was a woman, an old woman standing on the shoreline. But it was like she wasn't really there, Gaius." He looked up to see if the old man understood what he was saying, only seeing confusion on his face. "When she spoke, her voice, it was as though it came from the depths of the earth. And her eyes . . . they were so sad. So much pain in them." He looked up at Gaius again, seeing a little more comprehension on the old man's face. "Who was she?"

Gaius looked solemn as he replied. "The Cailleach." Merlin sat back a little. "The Gatekeeper to the Spirit World."

"Why was she there?" Merlin shook his head, confused. He had heard stories of the Cailleach but none had actually _seen_ her. None other than him it would seem.

"Last night, you say?" He asked and Merlin nodded, seeing Gaius's thoughtful expression. "On Samhain's eve. Possibly even the very stroke of midnight."

"I don't know," Merlin shrugged, unable to answer the exact time. "It's not like that makes too much of a difference out here, Gaius." He advised and the old man nodded. "What difference does it make?"

"That moment is when the veil between worlds is at its thinnest." Gaius advised and Merlin shivered once again, his tail twitching where he sat. "It cannot be a coincidence."

"None of the others saw her." He stated and Gaius nodded, his expression unchanged. "Why was I the only one to see her?"

"You have great power, Merlin." He placed a hand on the young merman's shoulder. "For someone so gifted, such visions are not uncommon."

"You don't understand, it wasn't a vision." Merlin shook his head, trying to get through to Gaius. "She knew who I was. She called me Emrys." Gaius looked thoughtful for a moment and Merlin wondered what was going through the man's head. "What does it mean?"

"I don't know," he said softly. Merlin could see there was slightly more to it than that but didn't press.

Gaius left quickly, needing to get back to Camelot and Merlin returned to the depths with more questions than he had had before. His mother tried to reassure him that it was going to be alright but he couldn't really share her optimism.

It was a restless night under the lake, the merpeople sensing _something_ above the surface of the water yet seeing nothing. All they could hear were screams, painful and wailing all around them. They didn't come near the lake but they were disturbing nonetheless. Merlin had the thought that Gaius may know what they were but had not told the young merman. He resolved that if it happened the next night, he would go to Camelot and find out what had happened.

Feeling much better the next day, he joined in the hunt with the other merpeople. They were all on edge after what happened and Merlin felt angry at himself for not being able to reassure his family. He had no idea what they were or what they wanted. It was with full bellies that he and his mother settled down for the night only to be woken not long after by the screams just as they had been the night before. He rushed to the surface, gasping as he saw ghostly faces streaming across the lake. They did not go near the surface as the other merfolk appeared around Merlin. They were fearful and Merlin knew that this was what Gaius had meant when he had mentioned the veil and the Cailleach. Something had happened to the veil but the old man had not divulged what.

He had to know.

He waited until morning, seeing that his mother was unnerved by what was going on above the surface before he would head to Camelot. He knew that he couldn't enter the city on foot, lest he be seen so he would have to enter through the reservoirs. It would take him the better part of a day to navigate the rivers and through the underground waterways through the city but it couldn't be helped.

It was nearly nightfall when he reached the small farms just outside the city limits and he could hear the ghostly wails once more. He could hear the residents above the water screaming in terror and dread washed through him. He took a chance as he lifted his head from the water, flinching away as he felt nothing but death around him. He shivered as he sank back down, his power of Life and Death, allowing him to sense the lives being claimed as darkness fell. He shook himself off, diving once more and pushing forward through the underwater tunnels, stopping as he heard the hurried footsteps above him. He knew that any movement in the water below them would catch their attention and he didn't need that right now.

He surfaced in the dragon's old cave, calling out for Gaius and waiting for the old man to come to him. It took him longer than it usually did to appear and Merlin was not in any frame of mind to play games with the old man.

"Gaius, what's happening?" He asked as soon as he had reached the edge of the water.

"You've seen them?" He asked and Merlin nodded, watching him closely.

"Yes," he confirmed out loud. "They were around the lake. And I sensed them as I was coming to Camelot. And the lives they were taking. Now, what are they?"

"They are the Dorocha." He sighed, sitting on a rock not far from the water's edge.

"And what are those?"

"The spirits of the dead." Merlin blinked, processing Gaius's words. Someone was toying with the dead again and he knew who it was. "On Samhain's eve, in the time of the Old Religion, the high priestesses would perform a blood sacrifice and release them."

"Someone's done it again," Merlin said softly. "Morgana."

"She was intercepted a few days ago by some of the knights. She was on the way to the Isle of the Blessed." Gaius nodded and Merlin ran a hand through his hair.

"How can they stopped?" He asked and Gaius sighed again, leaning forward and resting his arms on his knees.

"I don't know." He shook his head and Merlin tilted his head at him, knowing that there had to be something he knew of. "There is only one way I know of to repair the veil. To travel to the Isle of the Blessed. For the tear to be created, it will have required a blood sacrifice. To seal it . . . will require another." Merlin took a deep breath, knowing that if Gaius said so, it was the only way to seal the tear.

"And Arthur knows of this?" Merlin asked and Gaius nodded. Merlin cursed under his breath, shaking his head.

"He rode out this afternoon." Merlin's head snapped to Gaius and he cursed again. "Is it not possible that he may have gone to the Lake of Avalon before heading to the Isle?"

"No," Merlin shook his head. "The Isle of the Blessed is in the opposite direction to the lake. Arthur would not have wanted to waste time by heading there first. How long ago did he set out?"

"He and the knights left around midday." Gaius said solemnly and Merlin cursed again. He would need to hurry if he was going to catch up to them. They had nearly ten hours head start on him. He would need to travel quickly to catch up. "You intend to follow him?"

"I have to Gaius." Merlin insisted and Gaius nodded standing up.

"I'll meet you on the outside of the city. I'll have a horse and some clothes for you." Merlin nodded, letting out a sigh as he watched the old man make his way up the steps. He dove quickly, hearing the screams of the innocent people as they were attacked by the Dorocha. He glanced out of one of the grates along the reservoir seeing the knights and soldiers trying to protect themselves with the torches they each held. He inhaled deeply as he watched one of the men react too slowly, falling backwards, encrusted with ice as he landed. He felt the life leave the man immediately and knew that these creatures had to be stopped.

Gaius met him where he said he would, reins to the horse he was leading in one hand and a torch in the other.

"There are clothes in the saddle bag," he motioned to the bag on the side of the saddle, glancing around as he stood there. "Be careful."

"They don't seem to be interested in me, Gaius." He advised as he pulled himself to sit on the edge of the river and Gaius handed him the bag.

"Possibly because you're not human." He looked around again, the fear showing in his eyes.

"But you are," Merlin advised, drying himself quickly and pulling on the shirt, Gaius had handed him. "So get back to the castle. Get back to safety. I'll be fine." Gaius cast him one last long look before nodding and heading back to the castle as quickly as his old legs would carry him. He muttered the spell that would give him his legs, drying them off before he pulled on his breeches and boots. He had to hope that he would be able to catch up to the men.

Gaius's words made sense as he climbed onto his horse and made his way to the main road, quickly picking up the scent of the knights that had ridden out. The Dorocha could have attacked him at any moment but they seemed to ignore him in favour of the humans around. Maybe it was something to do with the fact that he wasn't human and as such, didn't interest them.

He didn't allow himself to think on it for too long as he followed the scent trail. It wasn't long before he entered the woods and the sun began to rise. He kept going as long as possible before his horse needed a rest. He settled down for an hour or two, allow the horse Gaius had given him to graze for a little while, leading the gelding to the stream, allowing him to drink his fill. It wasn't long before he was back on the road, following the scent trail left by the knights.

He allowed his horse to rest again after night had fallen, his heart clenching every time he heard one of the wails of the Dorocha, knowing that every moment he spent sat, not moving he could have been following and catching up to Arthur. Unfortunately, his horse needed to rest. He pulled out a blanket from the bag that Gaius had packed for him and settled down on the ground. He pulled the blanket over himself, settling in for a few hours, knowing that the party he was following would have stopped themselves, unable to carry on while in fear for their lives.

He found their horses tethered by the entry to some caves and scented the Gaia berries that they had used to get through the Wildeoren infested caves. Deciding against it, he led his horse over the top, around the mountain. This time, he didn't stop as night fell, knowing that his time was running out before Arthur reached the Isle of the Blessed. He rested his horse for an hour or two before the sun rose before pushing on, coming across what looked to be an abandoned stronghold.

He pushed his horse ahead, hoping that he would make it there by nightfall. His horse whinnied as he pushed him and Merlin felt sorry for the beast, silently promising a long rest once he reached his destination. He smiled to himself as he scented the knights, hearing them within. It appeared that they hadn't lost much of their enthusiasm as they groused Gwaine about his dirty socks.

He stopped his horse, seeing Lancelot's standing on guard, his sword and torch held out in front of him. He gave a smile of relief as he saw the warlock dismount in front of him.

"I knew you'd catch up to us." He sighed, sheathing his sword and wrapping an arm around Merlin's shoulder.

"Hey, watch the torch," he warned and Lancelot chuckled, moving it away from Merlin. "Is Arthur inside?" He asked, not really needing to but wanting the confirmation anyway.

Lancelot nodded, making his way inside. He could hear the other starting to panic as he walked through into the hallway.

"What is it, Lancelot?" Arthur asked, his voice concerned. "What's happened?"

"Bad news," Lancelot sounded grave and Merlin chuckled to himself as he walked into the room. "We've been found."

He turned and the others looked past him to see Merlin standing there, a grin on his face. Arthur's face relaxed and a smile graced his lips as the others went to greet Merlin.

"So, how did you find us?" Percival asked, as they sat round the fire.

"You all seem to forget how . . . pungent you are when on a mission." Merlin smirked and they all protested and he laughed, nodding. "If you weren't I wouldn't have been able to find you so quickly."

"How did you know where we were going in the first place?" Arthur asked and Merlin glanced over to him.

"Gaius," he sighed, picking up a stick and stoking the fire gently. "At the lake, we were being woken by these . . . screams in the night but the first night we saw nothing. Only heard them and felt them. It was as if all the life in the earth had been sucked away. It was the same on the second night," he had been told of the screams that first night, while he had been unconscious. They had never been heard before so the merpeople had felt under the water, trying to stay as far away from them as possible. "The third night we heard them, I made my way to the surface and saw . . . these faces . . . like ghosts . . . They were coming towards the surface of the lake but it was as though they had no interest in us. It was the same when I was following you. I could hear them but none came near me. Gaius thinks that it's because I'm not human."

"Even when you're in human form they know that," Arthur guessed and Merlin shrugged, really not knowing what to say.

It was only Arthur and Merlin that remained awake, leaning on the opposite sides of the log they were on. Merlin watched Arthur closely and he knew that he had been right when guessing Arthur had designated himself as the sacrifice to close the veil.

"It's going to be fine. Everything will be alright." He said softly and Arthur waved him off.

"I'm just tired."

They lapsed into a momentary silence that had them both thinking of what was going to happen in the near future. Merlin looked to Arthur, seeing a look of sadness on his face and he sighed gently.

"You don't have to sacrifice yourself," he said softly and Arthur turned to look at him.

"I have to save my people." He reasoned and Merlin sighed again, barely making a noise.

"I will take your place," Merlin said seriously and Arthur turned to look at him, shock written on his face as he regarded his former manservant, seeing him in a way he never had before, even after finding out everything that he had about him.

"It's my responsibility." Arthur said simply and Merlin shook his head. He knew that Arthur wouldn't allow him to take his place willingly. But then whoever said he had to be consenting? Merlin was not going to allow Arthur to sacrifice himself. Not when he had the power to stop that from happening. "One thing," he turned to look at the prince again, "look after Guinevere. Well, as best you can." Merlin smiled knowing that Arthur had realised after he'd said it that there wasn't much he could do from the lake. "I want her to be happy in her life. She deserves that."

"Don't worry," he nodded, not taking his eyes of the princes' face. "I'll make sure." She would be happy. She would be happy with Arthur at her side. Merlin would not settle for anything less.

What neither of them was aware of was the knight not too far away, listening to their hushed conversation and thinking of the promise he had made to the very woman they were talking about.

They set out just before dawn the next morning, coming to the bank of the lake where the Isle of the Blessed lay. It felt strange to Merlin, getting into the boat along with the others when it would have been more natural for him to swim to the Isle. Doing so would have taken more time than they had and they couldn't afford to waste any of it.

They all looked up, hearing the screeching Merlin knew could only come from wyverns. He knew how to deal with those, thanks to his and Gwaine's trip to the Perilous lands. They climbed out of the boat, Merlin leading the way towards where he could sense the sundered veil. He didn't stop as they heard two reptilian screeches above them, the knights panicking as they unsheathed their swords.

Merlin looked around at them all as they readied themselves for an attack, looking up at the creatures heading towards them.

" _S'enthend' apokhorein nun epello!"_ His voice was low and hoarse as he cast the wyverns away. They halted their attack, shrieking as they flew off. Arthur stared at Merlin and he shrugged, following Arthur as he made his way through to a large chamber. Percival, Leon and Elyan stopped outside, standing guard in case there was anyone they hadn't discovered on the Isle. Arthur, Gwaine, Lancelot and Merlin walked through the chamber towards the where the veil was ripped in front of them.

The veil, shimmering at the far end of the chamber held a sense of foreboding as they walked towards it slowly, each of them on their guard. They could hear the shouts and screams of the dead coming from inside the veil and Merlin knew that it had to be stopped.

They all stopped as the Cailleach emerged from the veil, regarding them all individually, her gaze halting and lingering on Merlin. She knew what he was and she didn't seem disappointed to see him.

"It is not often we have visitors." Merlin shivered slightly at the sound of her voice, the memory of the first time had heard it running through his mind.

"Put an end to this." Arthur stepped forward, separating himself from the rest of the group. "I demand you heal the tear between the two worlds."

"It was not I who created this horror. Why should it be I who stops it?"

"Because innocent people are dying." Merlin glared at her and she looked back at him.

"Indeed." A laugh broke from her lips, showing her lack of compassion for the situation. They all turned as Gwaine let out a yell, racing towards the Cailleach only to be forcefully thrown backwards by a burst of magic from her.

"I know what you want." Arthur said softly, stepping forward ignoring Gwaine as he moaned from where he was.

"Do you?" An evil smile played on her lips. "And are you willing to let me have it?"

"I'm prepared to pay whatever price is necessary." Arthur started to walk forward and Merlin shook his head, not allowing the prince to get any further as she beckoned him forward.

" _Forb fleoghe!"_ Arthur stopped mid-step, flown off to the side and thrown to the floor, stunned by the impact and what Merlin had just done.

The Cailleach lowered her hand, a small smile gracing her lips as he stepped forward. She did the same and the two of them came face to face across the altar that was positioned in the center of the chamber. The small smile of amusement was still on her lips as she regarded him in front of her.

"So . . . Emrys. You chose to challenge me after all." She sounded somewhat surprised and he gave no answer. "Will you give yourself to the spirits to save your prince?"

"It is my destiny." He responded simply and surely.

"Perhaps." Her eyes lost the amusement and slight surprise that had been in them a moment before, the sadness he had seen the first time he had seen her rising in them once more. "But your time among men is not yet over, Emrys, even if you want it to be."

He gave her a look of confusion but instead of answering, she turned to look at the veil. He followed suit, freezing when he saw that Lancelot, using Merlin's distraction had walked behind him and stepped up to the veil. The knight turned, smiling at him before turning and walking into the veil.

"No!" Merlin stepped towards the veil, crying out as it closed, taking Lancelot with him. The Cailleach had disappeared when the veil closed and when Arthur and Gwaine woke, they found nothing more than Merlin sitting on his knees, tears streaming down his face.

Merlin didn't return to Camelot with the others, choosing to dismount near a river and was gone, his clothes by the side of the river before Arthur could reach him. He knew that he was gone before he could even call out to the merman. He grabbed his clothes, packing them into the saddlebag to take back to Gaius, resolving to find the merman after they had returned to Camelot.

It was a solemn Merlin that arrived back at the lake, his mother's arms wrapping around him tightly as he told her what had happened. She knew that the knight had been a good friend to her son and to see him hurt, made her feel helpless as a mother. She knew that there was nothing she could do but be there for him and help him when he asked.

It was a few days later that Gaius appeared at the lake, unbidden, making his way into the cave and calling for Merlin. When he appeared, Merlin noticed the old man looked concerned and couldn't help but wonder why.

"Gaius, what is it?" He asked, settling onto a protruding rock under the surface of the water.

"I fear you may have been right about Agravaine." He sighed Merlin looked up at him sharply.

"What do you mean?" He asked, searching the old man's face.

"Late last night, Agravaine came to my chambers asking about something he shouldn't have been." Merlin raised an eyebrow, already having had enough of the evasion game Gaius like to place. "You."

"Me?" Merlin felt his brow furrow. As far as he was concerned, Morgana and Morgause – well just Morgana now – had stopped their search for him long ago, unable to find him. "What about me?"

"Well, not _you_ exactly." Merlin raised his eyebrows at Gaius, who nodded. "He was asking about Emrys."

"Emrys?" Merlin repeated, shaking his head again. "Why would a nobleman, with no connection to anything magical, want to know about Emrys?"

"Only one person could have heard that name." Gaius stated and Merlin nodded. "Morgana. We know her powers are growing. She too must have seen the Cailleach."

"It seems that Agravaine is not as virtuous as he seems." Merlin sighed and Gaius nodded, agreeing with him.

"And don't forget," he pointed out as Merlin looked up at him. "He has every reason to despise Uther. You must beware, Merlin. Morgana can never know the truth. She must never know who and what you really are."

Merlin nodded, knowing that he would have to do everything possible to stop that from happening.


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

Over the next few months things settled down after the Dorocha. Camelot was still hurting from all that had been lost but people were trying to move on and rebuild their lives. There had been whole villages that had been wiped out by the Dorocha and Arthur had seen to it that they had all been given respectful burials. None had started to move into the villages, not wanting to disturb their resting place. People would no doubt move into the villages but they didn't think it would be any time soon.

Merlin had been into Camelot several times over the winter months, seeing the knights and Arthur there. It had been hard to go back to Camelot after the loss of Lancelot but seeing the others had made it easier. The noble knight hadn't been forgotten but they would not allow themselves to be so overcome by grief that they couldn't function.

Gwen had been hit hardest by Lancelot's death and Merlin knew that it was because she had the knight had been close in the past. She had been to the lake many times even on the coldest of days. Merlin would often find her in the cave, crying, not being able to do anything but work through her grief. He would make sure she knew he was there but otherwise would sink to the bottom of the cave and leave her in peace.

It obviously worked as she came less and less. She came to Merlin, a watery smile on her face and thanked him for being there for her. She had waved him off when he had tried to say that he didn't do anything, saying that all she needed was to know that he was there.

Arthur had also come down to the lake, thanking him for being there for Gwen. Merlin didn't really know what to do with that as he hadn't really done anything at all.

The lake had calmed exponentially since the veil had been repaired and the Dorocha sent back to the other side. Those few days had been harrowing for the lake and even though they were at no risk from them, it hadn't made them any less nervous about the spirits. Being magical creatures, the merfolk were extremely sensitive to the imbalance that had been happening around them.

It was the height of summer once again and Merlin and his family were lounging on the rocks as they tended to do in the heat. He looked up as he heard some of the girls tittering and giggling amongst each other and he looked over to see Gwaine and Percival. Percival looked as though he was a little uncomfortable with the attention they were getting from the mermaids but Gwaine was loving it. He grinned at them, winking as he walked, lapping up the attention and Merlin chuckled to himself, shaking his head. He dropped off the rock he was on and went to meet the knights, shooing the mermaids off as he did so. They grumbled as they moved away, one of them giving a slight hiss that he quickly returned, chasing them off. There hadn't been many humans in the area as of late and the mermaids may decide that they'd had enough of leaving the teasing knight alone and that making a meal of him was worth Merlin's wrath. He wasn't about to risk that happening.

Not after the effort he put in to keeping them all alive.

"Why did you do that, Merlin?" Gwaine moaned as Percival chuckled, shaking his head.

"Biting off more than you can chew there, Gwaine." He smirked, resting his arms on the rock in front of him as he regarded the knights. "Any reason you're down here rather than doing whatever knight stuff you're supposed to be doing. And I'm guessed it's not to wind up the mermaids."

"No, that's not why we're here." Percival nudged Gwaine before he could answer. "We did come here for a different reason." Merlin raised an eyebrow at him. "It's Arthur's birthday tomorrow."

"Ah, yes," Merlin grinned, fully aware of that fact. "And how is it I can help you?"

"We know that it would mean a lot to him if you could be there." Gwaine suggested and Merlin sighed, pushing away from the rock slightly, floating away from them a little.

"You know that I can't." He looked up at them, wondering what they had hoped to accomplish coming here with that request. "You know I can't come to Camelot as a human anymore. It's been over a year. It would look strange if I just turned up out of the blue. People think I'm dead."

"Doesn't have to stay that way, does it?" Gwaine smirked and Merlin sighed again, looking him in the eye. "Don't give me that look. You know that you could come back and Arthur would give you your job back no problem."

"And what would he say about the year and a half disappearance?" Merlin raised an eyebrow and Gwaine shrugged.

Percival placed a hand on Gwaine's shoulder, silently telling the other man to leave it.

"Let me know how it all goes." Merlin nodded before diving, hearing their protests. He wanted to be able to go into the castle along with the others and celebrate Arthur's birthday but he knew that wouldn't be possible. Unless Arthur were to revoke the law against magic and Merlin revealed himself to be a magical creature, that was never going to happen.

And it hurt that he wasn't going to be able to be there for anything like that.

His mother had found him in his down mood, trying to cheer him up. He appreciated her trying but she knew that it hadn't worked. He had always been like that as a child. If he was in a bad mood, he had to just work it out himself. No amount of prodding from anyone else was going to get the job done.

He would be able to go and see Arthur after the celebrations were over but knowing that he couldn't actually be there for them was difficult for him to think about. Arthur's birthday celebrations had always been something to behold. Even though he couldn't join in with the feast, the entertainment was always good, the king sparing no expense when it came to his only son.

The fact that he had missed Arthur's last birthday hadn't hurt too much as he was just able to put it out of his mind and get on with the day as though it was any other. The fact that Gwaine and Percival had come here and pointed it out to him made this one that much worse.

The next day passed without incident on the lake and Merlin spent the time on his own. He let out a sigh, resting his head on his arms as he lay in the sun. Sitting in the sun normally gave him peace, allowed him to relax as he allowed the warmth to seep through him. But laying there in the warmth, he couldn't let his mind rest, his thoughts spinning as he let out a frustrated sigh.

"Why so sad?" He looked up to see Karina settling in the water next to him. She pulled herself onto a smaller rock, watching him with keen interest.

"It's nothing," he sighed, resting his head on a hand as he looked down at her. "It seems so stupid but . . . I don't know."

"You're missing something you'd been involved in before." She surmised and he nodded. "It's only natural to miss something you've had before."

"It's just knowing that I can never go back." He said softly and she gave him a sad smile. She wanted to empathise with him but the lake was all she had ever known. Though there were rivers that fed into the lake, only a few of the merfolk had actually ever left, preferring the sanctity and peace of the lake to anything else the world could have to offer.

Merlin was the only merman that knew of life in the human world. He knew what they were like, had lived as one of them for three years. It was only natural that he would miss the world he had adapted to while he was there and that he would miss the friends he had made. While nothing he had in that world would compare to the bond he had with his family in the lake. Their bonds as magical creatures surpassed any other connections he could make in the world.

But it didn't make the losses any easier to bear.

"There might be a chance you could." She sounded optimistic and he shrugged. "Arthur is different to his father." She moved, pushing herself up on the rock, resting her arms next to where he was lain. "You never know. When he becomes king, the law against magic may be repealed. You may be able to go back and live in Camelot when that happens."

"Maybe," he whispered and she gave him another sad smile before dropping away and disappearing underneath the water again. She, like his mother was trying to keep his hopes up but he didn't believe that he would be able to go back. "We'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"

The next day was pretty much the same until midday when the sun was high in the sky. Merlin was feeling slightly better about having missed Arthur's birthday and he was singing a deer into the water when he heard someone yelling on the other side of the lake. Looking forlornly at the deer, knowing he was losing a meal he decided to investigate diving and heading towards the dock where the voice was coming from. He knew instantly that it was Arthur and that something was wrong.

"Arthur?" The prince looked down at him frantically as he emerged, kneeling down at the dock. The look of panic in his eyes caught Merlin's attention immediately. "What's wrong? What's happened?"

"It's my father," he sounded desperate and Merlin pulled himself up onto the dock, sitting next to Arthur. The prince ran his hands through his hair, gripping the ends tightly as he tried to keep his emotions under control.

"What happened?" He asked again, placing a hand on Arthur's shoulder, trying to get him to calm down.

"The entertainers last night," he breathed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "The ones that had been called in for my birthday celebrations. They were assassins."

"What?"

"They were sent by Odin," he sighed, calming himself a little. "They were sent by Odin to kill me. For revenge."

"For the death of his son." Merlin sighed and Arthur nodded.

He sat back a little, his hands falling into his lap, taking a deep breath. "It was the first time my father had been involved in anything since Morgana's betrayal. He looked like he was having a good time and I was so happy. Gaius warned me that it might not be all it seemed and not get my hopes up but . . ." He looked at Merlin, who let out a small sigh. "After the feast, I went to my father's chambers but . . . I felt off . . . sluggish and slow, like I'd drunk too much but I hadn't." He shook his head, running a hand through his hair. "I went to see my father and they were just . . . there. I tried yelling for the guards but none came. They were already dead. I tried to defend myself but I couldn't get myself to move fast enough. Suddenly my father was there. He managed to kill the man but . . ."

"But what?" Merlin pushed as gently as he could.

"They stabbed him, Merlin." He looked up at his friend, looking like he was close to breaking point. "Gaius said that the blade touched his heart. He's dying, Merlin."

"I'm so sorry, Arthur." He closed his eyes, knowing what it was like to lose a father.

"I need your help, Merlin." Arthur rushed out and Merlin looked at him, confused. "Gaius says there's no way that he can heal my father. But . . . there's a chance you could. You're powerful, Merlin. You could do it."

"Arthur, I don't-"

"Please." He was pleading with him now and Merlin had never seen him like this before. "I can't lose him, Merlin. I can't."

Merlin let out a breath. He closed his eyes, weighing his options as he sat there, feeling Arthur's eyes on his face. "I can try, Arthur. But I can't guarantee that I'll be able to do it."

"That's all I ask." He sighed, giving Merlin a watery smile. "I just . . . I can't say goodbye to him yet."

Merlin nodded, wishing that he'd been able to know his father better. He hadn't had time with his father to get to know him as he'd like to. He looked down towards the water, sighing gently. "I can only try, Arthur," he slid off of the dock and back into the water. "I can't guarantee that I'll be able to do anything for him. It may save his life but there is also a chance that it may not work, Arthur. I need you to understand that."

Arthur couldn't help but notice the serious tone of Merlin's words and he nodded. "I understand, Merlin." His voice was quiet and Merlin nodded. "I just . . . I know that there's a chance it won't work. I know that if it does, there's a chance he will angry but . . . I have to try."

Merlin nodded, looking up at the prince once again. "There are things that I'll need. Gaius will know what they are. Hopefully he'll have them in his chambers."

"Do you want me to meet you by the cave?" Arthur asked as he stood up and Merlin shook his head.

"I can't come with you now, Arthur." The prince's jaw dropped at Merlin's words, about to argue before Merlin held up a hand, silencing him. "Arthur, to everyone in Camelot bar yourself, the knights, Gwen and Gaius, I am believed dead. I can't just walk through the gates with you or people will ask questions. I'll be in the usual cave under the castle at sunset. I'll need some clothes brought down."

Arthur nodded, swallowing thickly. "You'll be there?"

"I will, Arthur." Merlin gave him a sad smile. "I promise."

The prince nodded, turning and walking back along the dock towards the shore, glancing back at the water to find that Merlin had already submerged. He let out a breath, running his hand towards his face before making his way back to his horse and Camelot.

He knew that Merlin would come. He wouldn't have said he would if he wasn't going to come. Merlin had no reason to help him save his father. He was a magical creature and his kind had been threatened and hunted by the king and his men and though they were in no danger in the lake, from what Gaius had told him, merfolk were susceptible to feeling the pain of other magical creatures around them. Gaius had explained that they had telepathic abilities and many of them had empathetic abilities as well. While Merlin was the only merman in history to have the magical abilities of a human warlock, merpeople as a whole were extremely sensitive magical creatures.

He wouldn't have held it against Merlin if he hadn't been able to help him. Even if he had just refused to due to his father's actions but he hadn't. He had agreed to help him. Arthur had the feeling that if anyone could help his father, it would be Merlin.

Merlin hadn't waited too long after Arthur left before travelling down the main river that would take him to Camelot. He could see that his mother wasn't happy with what he was about to do and wanted to stop him from going but she said nothing. She knew her son and she knew that once he had his mind set on something, he wouldn't be deterred.

He encountered few issues on the way to the city. The only inconvenience had been when he had come across two men fishing on the side of a shallow river and had to wait for them to leave before he could continue on his journey. He pushed himself faster than he had been before, knowing that he had lost valuable time while having to wait for the humans to move. He could feel the despair in the air as he approached the city, a kingdom already grieving for its king who was, as far as Merlin knew, had not yet gone.

The sun was lowering itself in the sky as he made his way into the caverns under the city. It was easy for him to manoeuvre through the waterways that ran underneath the city and into the castle. He emerged in the cave to find Arthur waiting for him, looking stressed as he saw Merlin in the water.

"What took you so long?" He asked and Merlin raised an eyebrow at him. Knowing that the prince was stressed, he let the tone go, pulling himself out of the water.

"I told you I would be here at sunset. It is just before sunset." Merlin argued, drying himself off and pulling on the clothes that Arthur had brought down for him. _"_ _Hyrþ_ _sé_ _sóþsegen._ _Áhelle sé_ _sóþcwide ansíen."_ Arthur looked on in wonder as Merlin's tail split and turned into legs. Muttering a quick spell, pulling his legs out of the water, Merlin finished dressing, standing up after pulling on his boots. He turned, seeing Arthur still standing there with an amazed look on his face. "What?"

Arthur didn't do anything other than stare at Merlin as he stood in front of him. "You just . . ." he looked between the warlock . . . merman . . . whatever he was supposed to call him and where he had just been sitting on the edge of the pool. "Your tail." He stated and Merlin smirked at him.

"How did you think I got legs, Arthur?" He asked and Arthur shook his head before motioning for Merlin to follow him.

"The guards are more alert since my father's attack." Arthur advised as they made their way through the castle. He stuck his head around a corner before motioning for Merlin to follow him quickly. He kept an ear out, listening for anyone coming from any direction, knowing that his presence in the castle would raise many questions. Questions that he didn't think he or Arthur could answer at this point in time.

They managed to avoid the guards that were patrolling the castle and Merlin was amazed at the fact they were actually doing their jobs. Unfortunately, many of the guards around the castle had become complacent in their work and it often made them very easy to work around.

Gaius looked up as they entered his chambers and gave Merlin a smile. They didn't waste time with pleasantries, knowing that any they spent was less time the King had left. "I've been looking through my books and found nothing. But . . . I found this." He held up a small book handing it to Merlin. "Gwillem of Cambria was as mad as a coot but there was never a better healer."

Merlin took the book from him, scanning the pages in front of him quickly, looking back up at Gaius. "You think this'll work?" Gaius nodded and Merlin moved to where he would be able to locate the ingredients he would need. He was glad that Gaius was stuck in his habits, for everything he needed for the spell to work.

Arthur was surprisingly quiet and patient as the physician and the warlock worked. He knew that what they were doing was to save his father and there wasn't much he could do about it at the moment.

"You must only use four drops," Gaius said seriously to Merlin as he crossed the chambers, handing another book to Merlin as he worked. "Any more could be dangerous."

Arthur stood up as Merlin took the book, sensing that they must nearly be ready to head to his father's chambers. "I just hope I can remember the spell."

"You must trust in your abilities, Merlin." Merlin shot him a look before looking to Arthur and sighing gently.

The prince nodded and the two of them left the physician's chambers, this time, Merlin leading the two as they moved through the lesser used servant's corridors. These routes weren't something Arthur knew about but Merlin knew every inch of the castle from the years he had spent serving Arthur. They made their way up a small staircase that would lead them out onto the corridor where the king's chambers were. He stopped, nodding for Arthur to go first as there would be guards on the door.

Arthur stepped out onto the corridor, the guards making no movement at his approach. He stopped in front of them, looking between them before staring straight ahead. "You're dismissed."

Even after he had spoken, the guards didn't move, taking their job of keeping the king safe seriously. "But sire, we were instructed not to leave our post." One stated to the prince who turned his head to look at the man.

"And I said you're dismissed." His tone held no arguments and the guards gave him a nod of respect.

"Yes, my lord." The turned away from the prince, heading in the opposite direction to where Merlin was currently waiting.

He heard Arthur clear his throat and knew the coast was clear. He couldn't hear anyone else close by other than the guards retreating footsteps. He quickly rounded the corner and the two of them made their way into the king's chambers.

Merlin sucked in a breath at the sight of the once formidable king. Seeing him where he was, thinner than he had been the last time Merlin had seen him, his hair longer, looking frail, it was hard to see him as the fearsome man Merlin had known him as.

"He could not get over Morgana's betrayal." Arthur said softly beside him, noticing the other man's gaze on the king. "It ate at him. Since we took back the citadel, he withdrew into himself. Refused all visitors apart from myself and Gwen, who looks after him. He would not greet anyone that we had in the castle and there was no way to get him into his regular clothes. He would push them away, muttering something about not being right and worthy. The first time he left his chambers in a year was for my birthday celebrations and . . ." Arthur blinked, feeling the stinging of tears in his eyes as he fought them back. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Merlin standing there with a look of sympathy on his face.

Of course, Merlin would know how he was feeling. He too, had lost his father. The only difference was, Merlin hadn't had the chance to really _know_ his father. And still it had devastated him when he had died.

Merlin took a breath, walking up beside where Uther lay, his chest rising and falling with the shallow breaths he was only capable of. He pulled the potion he had made earlier out of his pocket and used a small stick to ensure that only four drops made it into the king's mouth. He straightened, putting the potion back into his pocket as he pulled out a bundle of herbs, clasping them in his hands as he took a deep breath. He looked to Arthur and the prince nodded.

As Arthur looked to his former manservant, he could physically see the change in him. While he had been nervous a moment before, he straightened, his countenance completely changing.

Merlin reached down inside himself, letting his magic flow through him, bending it to his will as the herbs in his hands began to smoke. Arthur stepped back slightly, not wanting to interfere with what was happening in front of him. " _Efencume... ætgædre, eala gastas cræftige: gestricie pis lic forod."_ Arthur watched as the warlock's eyes glowed gold with the conclusion of the spell, sagging slightly at the power he had just used.

The two men looked down at the king, watching and waiting for some kind of sign that it had worked, becoming more anxious as the seconds passed with no response from the king. They both let out a sigh of relief as the king's eyes flew open with a gasp, disoriented as he took in his son in front of him.

"Father?" Arthur leaned over him, speaking softly. "Father?"

Uther turned his head to look at his son, a peaceful smile on his face as he lay there. "Arthur." Arthur looked over to Merlin, an ecstatic grin on his face as he let out a small laugh. Merlin couldn't help his own grin at the sight of the father and son together in front of him.

The both of them froze as Uther's smile turned into a grimace of pain and he let out a low groan.

"What's happening?" Arthur asked and Merlin stepped up to the king, trying to see what was wrong. The spell had worked. Uther should have been fine.

"I don't know." Merlin shook his head. "The spell worked! I don't know what's happening!"

"Do something!" Arthur pleaded with Merlin and he rushed to the king, placing a hand on his chest, where the wound the entertainer had given him was.

His brow furrowed as his magic sensed something very wrong on the king. He pulled back the covers quickly, freezing when he saw the pendant that had been draped around the king's neck. He grabbed the pendant, dark magic oozing from it like sludge before he ripped it off and threw it on the ground.

"No, no, no, no, no," he grabbed the bundle of herbs that was still smoking slightly from the spell he had just cast to try once more but before he could even attempt to recite the spell the king went limp, his eyes falling closed as his body released his last breath of air.

Arthur stood there, stunned at what had just happened. The spell had worked. He was sure of it but then something had gone horribly wrong. He didn't notice as Merlin checked Uther for a pulse, slumping to the floor in defeat as he found none.

"He's dead?" Arthur whispered as Merlin's ragged breaths filled his ears. He looked down to see the top of Merlin's head, slumped forward, barely visible on the other side of the bed. "But . . . he was . . . he was _awake_ . . ."

"I killed him," Merlin whispered and Arthur's eyes shot towards him. "I didn't notice. Didn't sense it when I should have."

"What?" Arthur hadn't moved and Merlin sniffed as he looked over to the prince with an anguished look on his face, placing something on the bed. He removed his hand, revealing a pendant, the same one he had ripped off the king moments before. "What is it?"

"Dark magic," Merlin whispered, a single tear running down his cheek. "The power to turn light to dark, healing into pain. It turned the healing spell I performed into something dark and deadly. The spell was to heal Uther's heart of the injury . . . but . . . in trying to do so . . . I killed him." He glared down at the pendant again, letting out an angry growl. "I _should_ have sensed it. Known it was there!"

Arthur slumped into the chair that was next to his father's bed, his head bowing as he allowed what had happened to sink in. His father was dead. He did nothing to stop the tears that fell from his eyes, barely noticing as they slid down his cheeks, feeling nothing as reality set in.

Gaius and Gwen entered the rooms not too long after, glancing at each other as they saw the two men they cared about more than anything else, slumped, one on a chair on one side of the king's bed and the other curled on the floor. Gwen quickly made her way over to Arthur, wrapping her arms around him as Gaius did the same with Merlin. Neither of the two men appeared to register their appearance which worried the servant and physician. They noticed the form of the king, still and silent, his chest completely still as they realised what had happened.

"Hey," Gaius whispered softly to Merlin, pulling him out of the trance he appeared to be in. He looked up at him, his eyes glassy and red-rimmed and Gaius let out a sigh, pulling him to him. "You tried, Merlin. You tried."

"It worked, Gaius." Merlin whispered, feeling as helpless as he had when the king had first reacted to the evil magic that had been placed upon him. "The spell worked."

"What happened?" Gaius pulled away from the young man who turned his head, staring at the pendant.

"I didn't notice it there," he whispered, his eyes glued to the small object in front of him. "I didn't sense it until it was too late." He looked back at the man he had grown to love like a father. "I failed, Gaius. I should have sensed it before I started and because I didn't . . . the king is dead." He let out a sigh, shaking his head. "It's my fault."

"No," the two of them looked over to Arthur, hearing the hoarseness in his voice as he spoke. "No, Merlin. It's not. You tried to heal my father, tried to save him. It was whoever put that around his neck that killed my father. Not you."

"Who would do such a thing?" Gwen asked, watching as Gaius helped Merlin to his feet.

"Morgana," Gaius sighed and Arthur's eyes shot straight to the physician.

"Morgana?" Arthur breathed and both Merlin and Gaius nodded. "But how did she get in here? I know she's powerful but she would have been seen."

"Because she has an ally in the court, sire." Merlin shot Gaius a warning glance as he spoke and Gaius's responding look told him that he had to know. "Sire, your uncle, Lord Agravaine has been in league with Morgana. I don't know how long for but at least since before the incident with Dorocha."

"Agravaine?" Gwen whispered, her hand covering her mouth and they looked to her. "He came in earlier. Suggested I get some wood to keep the king warm as it had been cold."

Arthur was once again frozen in shock at the revelation that his uncle was the one that had placed the pendant that had killed his father around his neck. He ran his hands through his hair once again, letting out a shuddering breath as he registered what was going on around him. His father was dead and his half-sister and uncle were to blame.

"Arthur," he looked up at Merlin, seeing the look on his face and knowing that his own face had to have been murderous. "Arthur, I know you probably want to kill your uncle right now but you can't."

"Excuse me?" His voice was quiet and Merlin took a breath, walking slowly around the bed to where Arthur was sitting, kneeling down in front of him. "He's the reason my father is dead." Merlin's gaze lowered to the floor at Arthur's words and Arthur knew his friend felt he was to blame. Arthur wanted to get that out of his friend's head straight away. "My _uncle_ and _sister_ killed me father. And you're saying that I should let him live."

"Merlin is right, sire." Gaius stepped over to them and Arthur looked up at him. "We know that he is working with Morgana. If we were to arrest him then she would only seek to plant someone else within the castle walls."

"Someone we wouldn't know." Arthur whispered and Gaius nodded. He looked down towards Merlin who still wouldn't meet his gaze. He placed his hand on the side of the young man's neck, causing him to look up at the prince. "It was not your fault. You tried to save my father. It is because of the two of them that he is dead." He held his gaze, trying to force his point across. "It is _not your fault._ " Merlin nodded slowly but Arthur knew that he didn't believe him.

"We can't just let Agravaine get away with what he's done." Merlin sighed, looking up at Arthur before glancing at Gaius.

"What can we do?" Gwen asked, looking between the three men. "I agree that we can't let Agravaine get away with what he's done but Merlin and Gaius are right. How are we going to do anything when we can't risk Morgana finding out?"

The four of them thought for a moment before Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly. Arthur looked at his friend, seeing what Arthur could only describe as an evil smile creeping onto Merlin's features as he spoke.

"I have an idea."


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

Merlin felt down as he rested on his rock, resting his head on his crossed arms. He knew that back in Camelot, Arthur was being crowned as the new King of Camelot. He let out a sigh as he thought of where he should be. He should have been there, supporting Arthur but he knew that there was no way that he could be.

He still felt the guilt over what had happened with Uther. He understood that the people around him were right. That there was nothing that he could have done to save the king after the magic on the pendant had taken hold but he still felt that he should have sensed the magic on it.

He let out a sigh of disgust as he thought about the magic, remembering the wrongness he had sensed. The magic that had been surrounding the pendant that had been weaved into the object had reacted to his touch, his own magic repelling the wrongness of the magic. He had been told before that he was the light to Morgana's darkness, the love to her hate and when he'd felt her magic on the pendant, he finally understood what they had meant.

Before Merlin had left Camelot they had devised a plan to deal with Agravaine. They knew that Merlin had been right when he had said that they had to leave Agravaine be within the court. But that didn't mean that they couldn't let him know that they were on to him. Merlin knew that he would be stuck. He wouldn't be able to tell Morgana that he had been discovered because to do so would mean that he had lost his usefulness and she would see him as a liability. If that happened then she wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

After all, a spy who had been discovered was of no use to her.

Merlin had had the idea to bring him to the lake. There wouldn't seem anything wrong with Arthur requesting that his uncle join him on a leisure ride and as he had never been there before, Agravaine most likely wouldn't realise that they were heading in the direction of the lake. Merlin's idea was to do to Agravaine what he had done to the man Randall before the others had devoured him.

Of course, he wasn't going to allow them to eat him this time.

It would do to terrify the nobleman and he had made it clear that he was going to be the one to do it. He was a threat to Arthur and that made him Merlin's problem. No one had had any qualms about Merlin's request. Not that it was much of a request.

Merlin knew that they wouldn't turn up for another few days. Arthur would allow the celebrations around his coronation to calm down before he set out. All Merlin had to do was wait. They had involved Gwaine, Percival, Elyan and Leon in the plan. Gwaine was going to ride ahead of the group and let Merlin know that they were on the way.

He sighed before allowing himself to drift off into a doze in the sun. He tried to forget about the fact that everyone in Camelot would be celebrate and he was here, on the outside, knowing that there was a chance he couldn't show his face in Camelot again.

But then again, he had no idea what Arthur was going to do now that he was king.

He could only wait.

The next week or so passed in the same way it always did in the lake. There was nothing rushed about life under the water. There were no plots to uncover, no scheming relatives to try and stop and there wasn't anyone trying to kill him.

Well, except Morgana but she was looking for _Emrys._ And he really didn't think that Morgana would realise that he was Emrys. After all, to her, he was nothing more than Arthur's annoying former manservant.

So nothing to really worry about there.

Even if she found out where he was, there wasn't really anything she could do. He had the protection of the lake, the magic of the Lake of Avalon serving as a shield and he had his own magic to use against her.

And of course, he had the rest of the merpeople in the lake that could combat her magical abilities. Powerful witch or not, she was still susceptible to the power of the merfolk's song. Though with the warning she and Morgause had been given when they had come to the lake before, he came to the conclusion that she wouldn't come to the lake again.

Or at least, he thought she was smarter than that.

He was dozing in the shallows when he heard Gwaine hollering his name, not keeping the fact that he was there subtle at all. He rolled his eyes, letting out a chuckle as he swam to where Gwaine was, scaring the knight as he appeared in front of him.

"Merlin!" He grinned down at him, shaking his hair out of his eyes. "Did you have to do that?"

"Did you have to yell like that?" Merlin shot back, resting his arms in front of him on the dock. Gwaine didn't say anything in response, only shrugging and grinning down at the merman in front of him. Of all of them that had found out about his true form, Gwaine had taken it the easiest – possibly with the exception of Arthur but then again, Merlin didn't know what he had been like when he had gone back to Camelot. The others had been slightly wary of him when they had first found out, getting used to seeing the skin of his torso melding into the sleek scales that made up his tail. They were all used to him now and Merlin was glad that they hadn't held it against him when they had found out the truth.

"What can I do for you, Gwaine?" He asked and Gwaine sighed, looking over the lake.

"Just doing what I've been told," he shrugged and Merlin raised an eyebrow at him. "Delivering a message."

"They're on their way." Merlin guessed and Gwaine nodded. Merlin pushed away from the dock and gave Gwaine a wicked grin before disappearing beneath the surface of the lake. Gwaine shivered slightly at the look the merman had given him. He didn't want to know what that look meant. He was quite content not knowing what his friend had done in the past. He was quite content in not knowing about the vicious creature he had soon realised that Merlin could be. He had heard stories about the merpeople in the lake but to Gwaine, he didn't want to picture his friend in that way.

Merlin quickly called the others in the lake. They knew what was coming and they knew what to do. They had all agreed that since the prince – now king – and his knights had stopped the abuse of the powers of Life and Death, they would always remain untouched by those in the lake. The respect for the spirits and the powers of the world was not something they took lightly and anyone abusing those powers was to be punished.

The fact that Agravaine was in league with one of the witches that brought on the monstrosities that had happened as a result, he was deemed an enemy by the merpeople.

They were not happy they couldn't kill him.

They all gathered beneath the surface, waiting for the arrival of the group. They didn't need to wait long before they heard the horses coming and Merlin ducked into the alcove where Arthur had found him the first time he had come to the lake all that time ago. He kept himself hidden, listening with a wicked grin as Arthur's uncle realised where they were and started to insist that they turn back, stating that it wasn't safe.

"I've been here before, Uncle." Arthur reasoned, sounding sure as Merlin heard him dismount his horse. "As long as we don't go into the water, we are quite safe." _They_ are, Merlin thought wryly.

"But they _sing_ , Arthur," Agravaine reasoned and Merlin rolled his eyes at the tone. He was clearly frightened and Merlin heard the others dismounting their horses, clearly not worried. Not that they had any reason to be. They all knew that they were safe from the merpeople. Agravaine had no such surety. "They sing for their prey. Being on the shore does not mean that they aren't dangerous."

"Like I said, we've been here before and have never had any problems." Arthur assured his uncle once again. "We'll stop here for a little while, let the horses rest before we head back to Camelot." He heard Arthur let out a sigh and Merlin chuckled gently in amusement. Arthur was playing his part well. "It really is quite beautiful here, don't you agree?"

Merlin heard one last person dismounting their horse, landing heavily on the ground and he guessed that Agravaine had finally realised that he would not be able to dissuade the young king from stopping here.

"It is, sire." He agreed and Merlin moved his position slightly, catching a glimpse of the man, dressed all in black from his hair right down to his boots. "But with beauty . . . also comes danger."

"That is true, Uncle." Arthur agreed and Merlin listened carefully. Arthur had told him that once he mentioned the merpeople specifically, that was when Merlin knew to have him spook his uncle. But he appeared to be taking his sweet time about it.

"And it _is_ dangerous here, Arthur." He sounded wary and Merlin could only imagine him glancing around, checking for any kind of danger from the lake.

"That may be so but we have been here several times and have had no encounters with the merpeople in the lake," Merlin grinned to himself, having heard the words, submerging. Even from under the water, he could hear Arthur loud and clear. "We probably won't even see one."

At his words, Merlin breached the surface momentarily before diving back down, ensuring that his tail could be clearly seen from the shore and grinning to himself when he heard Agravaine's startled cry as he noticed him. Arthur brushed him off, pretending not to have seen him and Merlin motioned for the others to join in.

At his signal, they began moving, causing the serene surface of the lake to ripple in response and Merlin grinned to himself, receiving the reaction he and Arthur had wanted from the nobleman on the shore.

Merlin nodded to Karina who smirked at him, breaking the surface and starting her song to call the man. Just as they had done with the immortal army of Morgana and Morgause, she sang specifically to Agravaine, ensuring that it would only be him that reacted to her song. It didn't take long for the man's boots to appear in the water as he followed the sound of her voice. He watched as the nobleman walked into the lake up to his shoulders before she pulled him under and the others quickly took him to the cave they had been in when hiding from the immortal army. Merlin broke the surface and nodded to Arthur. The king nodded back and he and the knights made their way to the entrance of the cave, knowing exactly where it was from when they had previously inhabited it.

Merlin quickly made his way into the cave where Karina was still singing to Agravaine, him floating in place, completely entranced by her. The others had followed and the nobleman had no way of escape. They had him completely surrounded.

"You can stop now," Merlin advised as he entered the cave and the song stopped immediately. He knew the moment the man came to his senses and started to panic as his motions in the water became choppy and frantic. He made the same move he had with Randall, swimming around the man and brushing against him with his tail. It caused the same reaction and Merlin couldn't help but grin to himself as he did it again.

Toying with Agravaine was fun.

He perched himself on a protruding rock under the surface, occasionally flicking Agravaine's legs with his tail, grinning to himself as the nobleman flailed each time, trying to see what was touching him. He knew that Agravaine couldn't see him from where he was, only feel the odd brush of his tail and witnessing the man's distress was more enjoyable to Merlin than he would admit to his human friends.

"Arthur!" He smirked as he heard Agravaine call out to the king as he made his way into the cave. "Arthur, help!"

Arthur said nothing as he stopped in front of the man he called his uncle. To the king, the man was no longer considered his family. His blood family were either dead or had betrayed him but on the way to the lake, Arthur had come to the realisation that he had another family. A new family. One that had chosen to come together, rather than being linked by blood. They were bound by something stronger. By loyalty, trust and love. And Arthur would trust in them more than he ever would his blood family any longer.

And no one had earned his trust and loyalty more than a certain merman lingering in the depths beneath his panicking uncle.

The merpeople that had surfaced next to the floor of the cave moved aside as the king and knights approached the edge, allowing him to peer down at his uncle without any obstruction.

"You're perfectly safe, Agravaine," Arthur advised the man, his tone cold and deadly. Merlin wrinkled his nose at the tone, hating hearing it from his friend. "As I'm sure you're aware, I have struck an accord with the merpeople in the lake. We do not harm them and they do not harm us." He paused, staring down at Agravaine, who had stopped moving, bobbing lightly on the surface. "But then again, you already knew that, didn't you?"

"Arthur . . ." he glanced around at the merfolk in the water around him, knowing that they could very well rip him apart at any given moment. "Please, I don't understand."

"You already know of the truce that has been struck between myself and the Golden One of the Lake of Avalon," Merlin rolled his eyes at Arthur's words. He knew that it sounded more impressive than anything else but it was just so long-winded.

"Arthur . . ." it appeared that Agravaine couldn't argue with the King in front of him. He had been made aware of the agreement that had been struck. Morgana had been most angry to remember that she could not go to the lake for support due to it and she had ranted to Agravaine about it before Uther's death. "Of course not, I-"

"I know you are aware Uncle because Morgana was made aware of it more than a year ago." Merlin watched as the nobleman froze in place, not having expected Arthur's words.

"Morgana?" If they hadn't known the truth about him, he would have been believable in his surprise. But as it was, Arthur couldn't hold back the sneer that made its way onto his face as he lowered himself into a crouch.

He held up a fisted hand, opening it, allowing the pendant that Agravaine had placed around Uther's neck to hang, swinging as the chain snapped taught in front of the man in the water. "Do not pretend you do not know what this is." Arthur's voice was barely more than a whisper, growling at his uncle. "Do not pretend you don't recognise it as it is the same one you placed around my father's neck."

"I give you my word, Arthur, I don't know what you're talking about." Merlin grinned at the panic he heard in Agravaine's voice.

"Careful," he heard come from next to him, seeing Karina with a playful glint in her eye. "Grinning like that others might think you're enjoying this."

"But I am," he returned her smirk and she giggled, remaining next to him to watch what was going on from beneath the surface. This was Arthur's show and he would indicate when he wanted Merlin to play his part.

"Well, then, I guess it's a good thing that I no longer hold any stock in your word, isn't it?" Arthur responded as he stood up. "How is my sister doing, by the way? Now that Morgause is gone, she must be incredibly lonely all by herself."

"Arthur, I-"

"Enough!" Merlin's eyebrows shot up as Arthur commanded confidently. He was growing quickly into his role as king. He definitely had the determination for it. Once he really settled into the role, he would become more of a king than his father was. He would be loved by the people and Merlin knew that he would be fair to all those in the kingdom. He had no doubt about that. "You are a liar and a traitor and as it is I would rather not look on you again." From underneath the surface, Merlin saw Agravaine's head snap in all different directions, seeing the merpeople around him, clearly thinking Arthur had brought him here to be eaten by them. He had no idea that he wasn't going to come to any harm.

But watching him panic was fun.

"You're planning on having me killed then?" Agravaine had sensed that the act was up, that the king knew that he was working with Morgana. "Bring me here and tell those back in Camelot that the merpeople got me? I'm not sure how that would benefit your little truce."

"Oh no, Uncle," Merlin could hear the smirk on Arthur face as he began to deliver the message he wanted to get through. "I am not a coward such as you. I will not stoop so low as to kill family, no matter how much their actions warrant it."

"Then what?" Agravaine shot back, momentarily forgetting his position as he regarded his nephew in confusion. "Lock me away? Or perhaps you mean to use me against Morgana?" He chuckled low in his throat, eying his nephew. Merlin raised an eyebrow at the cocky attitude the man had just taken on. He brushed his tail against the man's leg again, causing him to flail and look around frantically, remembering where he was and that he was not in control. "Because I'll do no such thing."

"Oh I think you will." Arthur crouched down again, meeting his uncle's eye. "Because to stop doing so would put your life at risk from both sides. You cannot reveal to Morgana that you have been discovered as to do so, she would have no further use for you. And we've all seen what happens when she doesn't need someone anymore. She killed her own sister to wreak havoc on the world. If she was willing to do that, what makes you think she would keep a discovered spy around?" Arthur allowed his words to sink in. "You _have_ been discovered, Agravaine." He glanced around at the merpeople surrounding his uncle, a wicked grin on his face. "And do not think that you can escape Camelot, either." He pushed himself up again, looking every bit the king he was. "Did you know, that merpeople can track scents that are days old, even from underwater?" He didn't receive a response from the disgraced nobleman, not that he was expecting one. "They've got your scent now, Uncle. Wherever you go, they can find you."

Agravaine let out another laugh, not phased at all even though he was currently in a pool filled with creatures that would very happily take more than a bite out of him. "They are easy enough to avoid. After all, they need the water, don't they?"

Arthur dropped the pendant he had in his hand into the water and Merlin took that as his cue. "I have someone I want you to meet, Agravaine."

Merlin pushed off his perch, swimming around the nobleman again, this time, wrapping his tails around the man's legs, keeping them bound as he broke the surface in front of the man. He could see the look of terror on Agravaine's face as he fought to free his legs from the superior strength of Merlin's tail.

Merlin breached the surface to just below his shoulders, keeping eye contact with the terrified man as he held him in place.

"Agravaine, I would like you to meet the one they refer to as the Golden One," Merlin refrained from rolling his eyes even though he wanted to. "He is the one that is in charge here in the lake. He is the one that we have the truce with. And he is the one that we will send word to, should you disappear."

Merlin said nothing, only increasing the grip he had on Agravaine's legs, causing the man to panic even more.

"He is different to all of the other's you see around you," Arthur gestured to the other merpeople gathered. "Do you want to know _how_ he is different?" Agravaine didn't respond, only watched Merlin as the merman stared at the human in his grip. "He has the ability to obtain legs." Agravaine swallowed thickly, making Merlin smirk at him.

"Which means I have the ability to follow you wherever you go." He said softly to the nobleman. "I have eyes and ears everywhere, Agravaine. Do not think that because you are not near water, that you can escape me. It will not be that easy." He unwound his tail from the man's legs, drifting leisurely around him, knowing that he was causing the man's panic to rise. He could smell it emanating from him and he couldn't stop the grin. "Now, all you need to decide is who you fear more. Morgana . . . or us." He stopped in front of Arthur, causing Agravaine to look up at the king.

"Now, you are going to continue living in Camelot." Arthur stated matter-of-factly, "and you are to continue your useless reports to Morgana. And . . . if you try to run away . . ." he motioned to Merlin again who bared his teeth at Agravaine in an evil looking grin. "Merlin will find you with no issues at all."

"Merlin?" Agravaine looked back down at the merman in front of him. "They said you were dead."

"People get things wrong," he shrugged, moving towards Agravaine, smirking when he tried to move away from him, splashing water everywhere. "I'm surprised Morgana didn't tell you. Oh, yes, she knows I'm alive. Has done for a long time. And remember, Agravaine," he lowered his voice to nothing more than a whisper as he stopped inches from the nobleman, "you try to run . . . I will have no trouble in finding you and ripping you to pieces. Understood?" He grinned as the man nodded his head frantically, having heard the stories of what the merpeople could do. He had even heard from Morgana herself that they had ripped her immortal soldiers to shreds before devouring them. He was right to be afraid. "Good."

He moved away from Agravaine, settling on a protruding rock just above the surface of the water, allowing Agravaine to see the shimmering golden scales of his tail. The others in the pool shoved Agravaine forwards and the knights grabbed a hold of him, pulling him out of the pool and out of the cave. Arthur watched them go, letting out a sigh as he turned to face the merpeople in front of him.

"Thank you," he said simply, looking around at all of them. They each nodded, knowing that their job was done before disappearing beneath the surface, leaving Merlin and Arthur alone in the cave. Arthur sighed and sat down in front of his friend, running a hand through his hair. "Have I done the right thing?" He asked and Merlin gave him a look of sympathy.

"I know he's your Uncle and what just happened must hurt but . . . you did the right thing. He needed to be warned and now he knows that he's being watched. He won't have the freedom he had before and he also knows that he can't report that he's been discovered to Morgana because he knows that she'll kill him. Feeding him useless or incorrect information could very well help in the future as she won't what has happened."

"What if he tells her about you?" He asked, looking slightly worried about what that might mean.

"So he tells her about me." Merlin shrugged, clearly not phased at the thought of Morgana knowing what and where he was. "What exactly is she going to be able to do? Even if she dared come here again, she knows what will happen. She's already been warned once before."

Arthur let out another sigh, looking towards the opening in the cave where the knights had taken his struggling uncle. Agravaine knew that he was being watched and he wouldn't be able to get away with everything he had been so far. Arthur knew that Merlin was right in telling him to keep him alive or else Morgana may plant another spy within Camelot. One they didn't know about.

But that didn't stop Arthur from wanting to kill his uncle every time he saw him.

He didn't know how he had managed to keep his cool while riding out of Camelot. He and the knights all knew the truth surrounding Uther's death and they all knew that the one with them in black was the one to blame. Holding in their anger had been hard for the knights. They managed to hold themselves back while on the way to the lake, knowing that Merlin's plan would be perfect for setting up the nobleman.

Merlin watched Arthur go, a little sad that it had come to this with his family. They were either dead or wanted _him_ dead and he knew how lonely Arthur must have been. He had felt it sometimes when in Camelot. Feeling the weight of his destiny pushing down on him, not having anyone that he could talk to about it. But at least he had his mother that he could come back to for some kind of comfort. He just hoped that Arthur knew that he considered them to be family and that he wasn't alone.

It took less time than Merlin thought it would before Morgana turned up at the lake, absolutely furious. A scant few days before she appeared. Agravaine had obviously taken the opportunity as soon as he could and told her that Merlin was at the lake. Merlin chuckled to himself as he heard her yelling his name across the lake keeping to the shoreline as though that would keep her out of harm's way. The last time she had been to the lake, she had been nervous, clearly scared of what dwelled beneath the surface butt his time she had no such hesitation. This time, she was furious and wasn't giving any thought to her own safety.

She probably thought that she was powerful enough to hold off the merpeople.

"Merlin!" He rolled his eyes as she screamed, her voice echoing over the stillness of the lake, shattering the sanctity of the place.

He warned the youngsters that had gathered around him to stay where they were as he cut through the waters towards the seething witch. Being as young as they were, their natural magical shield that protected them from magical assaults was not fully formed and while they were safe amongst the elder merfolk in the water, on their own they were vulnerable. Easy prey for someone like Morgana on a rampage.

She didn't notice him as he surface not too far from where she was, leaning against one of the rocks at the lake edge.

"Must you make so much noise?" He asked calmly, not looking at her and he knew the moment she turned to look at him.

" _You_!" He pretended to inspect his nails before pulling up a magical shield that would deflect anything she threw at him. Pulling from the power of the lake, he didn't have to worry while Morgana was around. He looked over at her, lazily raising an eyebrow, smirking at her. "I should have known."

"Really?" He allowed his smirk to grow into a grin, showing her exactly how much he feared her. She watched him carefully, her eyes drifting down his torso to where his tail broke the surface, his scales glittering in the sunlight. "You really believe that you should have known I wasn't human. And what would have given me away?" He regarded her as she did nothing but glare at his tail as though it held all of the answers she was looking for. "There was no one in Camelot who knew."

"You betrayed me," some of the anger that had been there before had disappeared, "you lied to me."

"Oh, don't take it so personally, Morgana," he waved her off, looking over the lake, "I lied to everyone."

"You could have helped me." She argued, her voice tense and Merlin fought to roll his eyes. "You could have helped me with my magic when I first learned about it."

He let out a chuckle, turning back to face her. "And how could I have done that?" He crossed his arms on the rock next to him, tilting his head at her appearing intrigued. "I am not human, Morgana. I do not live, breathe or work in the same way humans do. Your magic is as foreign to me as my tail is to you. I could offer you no assistance."

"So you left me scared and alone-"

Merlin let out a frustrated sigh. "Do not try for pity Morgana, you will not get any here." He warned and she stopped speaking instantly. "You have no friends here, Morgana. You have toyed with forces that are beyond your control and you have upset the balance of the world. More than once. There is not a creature in this lake that would not love to rip you to pieces." She sucked in a breath, not doubting his words. "Leave now, Morgana. Leave the lake and leave Camelot. You will not get what you came for."

"I only want what is rightfully mine," she growled and Merlin chuckled again.

"Which is what?" He shot back, raising an eyebrow at her. "You've driven away all those that cared about you, you are completely alone. You are not entitled to anything _Lady Morgana_." She bristled at the tone he used when saying her name, her eyes darkening as she regarded him.

"You would follow Arthur? A man who would have you killed as soon as finding out what you are." She gestured towards his tail. "You think that he would not have you and your kind slaughtered if he found out. With me on the throne, you would be accepted and magic would be welcomed back into Camelot, surely you could see that."

"Of that I had no doubt, but at what cost?" He smirked at her, allowing more of his true nature as a merman to come through with each moment that passed. "You murdered many innocent people when you attempted to seize the throne, Morgana and you toyed with the most primal force there is on two separate occasions. Clearly you are uneducated and naïve in the proper uses of magic." He could see that he was riling her up with each word spoken. "And besides, Arthur already knows about me."

"That's not possible." She sneered and he laughed again, rather enjoying himself.

"Oh but it is." He moved towards her slowly, the grin still on his face. "Do you not remember your visit with your sister? You were more nervous then, as you should be now. You were told of an accord that had been struck between Camelot and the lake. Arthur has known about me for a long time. And while he is King, the truce between Camelot and the Lake of Avalon stands. And there's nothing you can do about it."

"You cannot stop me." She laughed and he let out a sigh, shaking his head.

"No," he looked up at her once again, "but I know who can." She froze and he chuckled. "I don't even need to mention his name, do I and you know of whom I speak."

"Emrys." She whispered and he nodded.

"Yes, Emrys," he moved towards her slowly, his expression darkening with every inch gained. "The man foretold to be your doom."

"You know who he is." She whispered and he grinned at her again. "Tell me."

"And why would I want to do that?" He pushed away from her slightly, noting that the shield he had erected around himself was still holding strong. He knew that should be become too angry, she would lash out. Her magic may have grown but she was still prone to emotional outbursts as she had been before.

"He is no threat to me," she practically growled to the merman floating in front of her, noting the golden shade of his tail. She had been told by the mermaid when she and Morgause had come to the lake once before, that Arthur had struck a truce with the Golden One of the lake and it meant that it had to have been Merlin. Arthur had known that he was alive the whole time. "I will destroy Emrys and I will destroy Arthur. I will take the throne of Camelot."

"A throne to which you have no claim." She faltered at Merlin's words, looking down at him from where she was.

"I am Uther's daughter."

"You may have the blood of Uther running through your veins but . . ." he waved a finger at her, a knowing smile on his face. "You are illegitimate, my dear Morgana, born of an affair and Uther never claimed you as his own, meaning you have no claim to the throne. Any that could say you do are dead. By your own hand."

"You don't know what you're talking about." She shot back and he chuckled again, feeling slightly bored of conversing with her. He just wanted her to leave now.

"I know a lot more than you think, Morgana," he said softly, drifting towards her again, resting on a rock in front of her.

He began to hum, low in his throat, a haunting tune that caused Morgana's eyes to glaze over completely as soon as it reached her ears. His voice became louder as the moments passed as she started to step towards the water, towards Merlin. She stepped into the water and he moved backwards, still singing as she followed him, completely overcome by the song he was weaving. He waited until she was waist height into the water, swimming up to her as she gazed at him. He pushed himself up so that he was level with her face, cupping her chin gently. She watched him with vacant eyes, nothing being registered as he gripped her with his hand and with his magic, falling backwards and pulling her underneath the surface with him. He pulled her further to the centre of the lake before surfacing, wrapping his tail around her as he had done with Agravaine some days previous, stopping his song and waiting as she came back to her senses.

The first thing she did was try to fight, as he knew she would. He grinned as she tried to loosen her arms and legs, fighting against the superior muscle of his tails.

"You see, Morgana," he whispered, running a finger under her chin as she glared at him, unable to move. "You may be powerful in the world of humans but here . . . here you are nothing." He pulled away from her, letting her see the true nature he usually kept buried when in the company of humans as it unnerved them. "This . . . is _my_ world, Morgana. Where you are not welcome. I will, however, give you once last reprieve." She blinked at him, stunned. "Leave this place. Leave this place and do not return. Because if you do . . . I will not stop them from ripping you to pieces."

She glanced around as he snarled the last words into her ear, seeing the ripples on the surface of the water.

"Either you leave this lake now and do not return or you face them." He released her from his grip, moving away from her and leaving her to float on her own. "Your choice."

He wasn't surprised when she immediately started to swim for the shore.

 **Okay, I know Merlin was really OOC in this chapter but it's all part of his nature as a merman. Remember, he's not actually human. But he does enjoy munching on them.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**

Arthur sighed to himself as he looked out of the windows of his chambers. He had known that they couldn't let Agravaine get away with what he had done and that taking him to the lake, showing him the truce that was in place with the merpeople that lived there and what could happen to him should Arthur deem it so or should he run had been the right thing to do.

It didn't mean he didn't want to run his uncle through whenever he thought about him.

He didn't register his chamber door opening and closing quietly behind him, starting when he felt a gentle touch on his shoulder. He turned to see Gwen in front of him, a troubled look on her face, her frown deepening as she noticed his own drawn expression.

"What is it, Arthur?" She asked, her voice gentle yet probing as she searched his eyes for answers. "You've barely said anything for the last three days. What's troubling you?"

"I want to believe we did the right thing with Agravaine," she nodded in understanding, knowing that Arthur would be conflicted over his uncle and his actions. Arthur took too much onto his own shoulders. She had tried time and time again when he was regent to allow others to take some of the burden but she knew he felt as though he was letting everyone down if he did so. He felt that even more so now that he was King. "But . . ."

"But?" she asked, questioning as he met her gaze. "What?"

"What if it wasn't?" He asked, shaking his head and looking back down onto the courtyard. "We know that he's working with Morgana, even if he's been found out. But . . . he knows about Merlin. What if he tells Morgana?"

"Arthur," she sighed, rubbing his arm gently, rested her cheek on his shoulder. "Merlin is strong, even more so when in the lake. I'm sure that even if Agravaine _does_ tell Morgana about Merlin, he'll be perfectly safe."

"Yes, he may be strong but what if he's not strong enough? We've seen how much her power has grown since she left Camelot. We have no idea how strong Merlin is and we don't know if he has the strength to hold her off."

"Alright," she said softly, moving away from him slightly, keeping her hand on his arm, hoping to ease him somewhat. "We don't know much about Merlin's magic, only what we've seen. But there's someone who might." She raised an eyebrow at him and he nodded, smiling at her gently.

"Gaius," she nodded and he glanced out of the window once more before the both of them headed towards the physician's chambers.

Gwen had to agree with Arthur when he said that he was worried about Agravaine revealing Merlin's true nature to Morgana. She had no idea if he would or what Morgana would do with the information should she have it. She had to believe what she had told Arthur. She knew that as a servant, Merlin had gained the reputation of being a clumsy but loveable idiot but she knew that he was far from it. The clumsiness they now knew came from the fact that he had not been walking long when he came to Camelot. It seemed absurd in her own mind to think that a young man would only have just learned to walk. Unfortunately, the clumsy reputation had stuck with him throughout the years he was in Camelot. The only reason people had thought he was an idiot was because he didn't know the palace etiquette. Having grown up in a nobleman's household and then becoming Morgana's maid when she was old enough, she had known everything there was to know her whole life. But Merlin. He hadn't known anything about being a servant. Everyone in Camelot had believed he'd come from a small village just the other side of the border in Cenred's lands. They believed that he was just uneducated and had unfortunately dubbed him an idiot before that.

Gwen could now see that that hadn't been the case. It wasn't just life in the castle that Merlin was having to adapt to. It was life on land. Life with legs. Life in the human world. She wasn't sure _why_ he had come to Camelot, knowing that he was a magical creature and should he be discovered, he would have been killed instantly. Even if he hadn't known that when he first came to the city, he would have discovered it very quickly as the former king's hatred of all things magical wasn't exactly a secret.

She felt bad, knowing that he was still alive and well when all the others in the castle and city that had known him thought he was dead. She had been there when the cook had heard the news. She had a soft spot for the servant and would always sneak him sweet rolls when he came to collect Arthur's meals. She could see the woman's grief when she had been told of what had happened and Gwen had felt for her. It was only after Gwen had managed to calm the large lady down that she had disclosed that Merlin reminded her of her son who had died some years before and she had always felt protective of him.

But now that Gwen knew the truth, she felt even more guilty than she had done before. When Merlin had, in everyone's minds, died, it was as though a light left the castle. There had been something about him that couldn't be explained. There was something about him that just made everyone smile. He was constantly cheery with a cheeky grin on his face and it was infectious. Once he had gone, so was that cheery feeling. Gwen realised that it may have just been her perception but she felt it was as though the castle was a lot duller than when Merlin had been there.

She shook herself out of her thoughts as they approached the physician's chambers, Arthur knocking twice before pushing the door open. They glanced around, seeing the old man leaning over something he was working on. They didn't make any noise, not wanting to disturb him if he was making some kind of medicine for someone that needed it.

It didn't take long for Gaius to notice the two of them there and he removed whatever it was that was bubbling away, something that was an odd shade of orange, off the burner and placing it on the table.

"Arthur, Gwen, what can I do for you?" He asked, gesturing for them to take a seat.

"We're worried, Gaius," Gwen said softly and Arthur nodded. She knew that he cared for Merlin as he would a brother, even if he never said it, protocol and stations not allowing him to show such affection for a servant. Even though their own relationship blew those reasons away. "About Merlin."

"Merlin?" He questioned, looking confused as he took his glasses off. "Sire, I assure you, where he is he is perfectly safe."

"What we're worried about, Gaius, is the fact that Agravaine now knows about him." Arthur explained and the physician nodded. "He knows who Merlin is, who he _was_ , though I'm not sure how."

"Morgana must have told him." Gwen reasoned, shaking her head a little as Arthur looked at her, confused. "Think about it. Merlin was by your side for three years. After her failed attempt on the throne, she knew that Merlin was alive. She knew that he had to be out there somewhere. It's possible that she had him keep an ear out for any mention of him."

"But he thought that he was dead." Arthur reasoned and Gwen shrugged, not knowing how to answer that.

"It is possible that Agravaine had heard Merlin mentioned. There were many among the staff that were fond of him." Gaius offered and Gwen nodded, being one of them herself. He was the first one that she had seen stand up to Arthur had he had instantly wormed his way into her heart when she had spoken to him while he had been in the stocks. She let out a soft chuckle at the thought of his words on that day. "What is it, Gwen?"

"Hm?" She looked up, remembering where she was before waving them off and shaking her head. "It's nothing. I was just thinking about the first time I spoke to Merlin." She looked between them, amused at their questioning looks. "It was after Arthur had him put in the stocks for challenging him," the king rolled his eyes at the memory of his first meeting with Merlin, "and . . . he told me that . . . he was in disguise. I never thought that he was being serious."

"No one would have," Gaius reasoned, an amused smirk on his face as Arthur chuckled. "Now, I must ask, why are the two of you worried about him? He is far safer in the lake than he ever was here."

"Because what if Agravaine tells Morgana about him?" Arthur asked and Gaius nodded. "We know that Merlin's strong, we know that he has magic but . . . what if he's not strong enough to face her."

"That is not something you need to worry about, Arthur," Gaius leaned forward, placing a hand on Arthur's reassuringly. "Yes, Morgana's powers are strong but . . . they are untamed. She has not had her magic for long meaning that while she grows stronger, yes, she is not nearly a match for Merlin."

"But how can you be sure, Gaius?" Gwen glanced at Arthur to see him staring that the old man across from him.

"Because Merlin was born with his powers." Gaius hesitated for a moment before continuing. "Merlin is not, as you may believe, a sorcerer. He is a warlock. He was born with the powers he possesses."

"I didn't think that was possible." Arthur's brow furrowed and Gaius shook his head.

"It is rare but it does happen. A sorcerer has to build up their magic, study for many years. With warlocks like Merlin, the magic is instinctual. It is ingrained into his very being." Gaius sat back, resting his arms on the table in front of him. "And of course, Merlin is a one of a kind, sire."

"What do you mean?"

"There has never before been a mermaid or merman with magic." Gwen and Arthur looked at each other, jaws dropping as they took in Gaius's words. "While they are magical creatures themselves and have certain magical qualities, Merlin is the only one ever known to have the magical abilities of a human warlock."

"Do you know why?" Arthur asked and Gaius inhaled deeply, looking down at the table.

"I don't know, sire." He sighed softly, looking back up at the young king. "I'm afraid I can't tell you anymore. If you want to know, that is something you'll have to ask Merlin."

"The destiny thing again?" Arthur asked and Gaius nodded. He waved off Gwen's questioning look knowing that if he wanted answers to his questions he was going to have to ask a particularly avoidant merman questions he didn't want to answer.

Being nearly midday, there was no chance they would be able to make it to the lake, speak to Merlin and get back before sundown. It would need to be the next day that they set off to speak to him and Gwen had made sure that Arthur knew she was not being left behind. He wasn't about to argue with her.

Unfortunately for them, it turned out to be three days after they had spoken to Gaius that they were able to set out. What with council sessions and various smaller issues around the kingdom, Arthur wasn't able to leave the day afterward as he would have liked to.

Sitting in his chambers after one particularly long winded council session, he really wished that Merlin had been there with him. He knew that he could count on Merlin to keep him away and amused if one of the Lords in the session carried on too long about something quite minor. Arthur missed his presence in the council chambers and in the castle as a whole. He wanted the man that was like an annoying little brother back with him and he had no idea how he was supposed to make that happen.

But he had an idea come into his head. It would take a lot of planning and work but he knew he could do it, feeling the smile make its way onto his lips.

Only, he wouldn't be telling Merlin.

They set out just after dawn the next morning, Arthur taking Gwen – who refused to be left behind – Percival and Leon with him. He had left Elyan and Gwaine to keep an eye on Agravaine and ensure that he didn't leave the castle. The last thing they needed was a surprise attack from Morgana.

They reached the lake around midmorning as the sun was crossing the sky, all of them looking over the beauty of the sunlight reflecting off the surface of the lake.

"What is that?" Leon asked, pointing towards near the centre of the lake, seeing what looked to be tails, many of them splashing about in the water. The sight was a myriad of colours as the many different tails intertwined and disappeared. They occasionally got a glimpse of an arm, torso or head but the colours in front of them drew their attention.

They were having fun.

"Just roughhousing." All four of them jumped, Gwen letting out a startled squeak at the sound of the voice below them. They all looked to see Merlin, leaning against a rock, chuckling quietly to himself. "Sorry."

"No you're not." Arthur retorted and Merlin shrugged, shaking his head.

Gwen grinned as she walked over to Merlin, leaning down to give him a hug, not caring if she got wet in the process. He returned her hug eagerly, whispered something in her ear and she giggled. Arthur raised an eyebrow at the two of them, shaking his head as he looked back out towards the chaos that was happening out on the lake. He didn't notice when Leon and Percival moved off to the horses to get them settled while they were here.

Arthur winced slightly as a high pitched squeal came from the group out in the lake. Merlin's head snapped round to them as Gwen let out a gasp and he quickly moved off, gliding through the water. There was a flurry of movement once more before all went still and quiet and Merlin reappeared in front of them.

"What happened?" Arthur asked, looking out onto the lake a little concerned. The noise they had heard was disturbing to say the least and it sounded as though whatever had made it was in pain.

"One of them got a little too rough with one of the girls, that's all." Merlin shrugged and Arthur gaped down at him.

"You let the girls join in with that?" He pointed to where they had been and Merlin shrugged.

"Why not?" He laughed seeing Arthur's expression and knew that the king found it ridiculous. "Just because they're girls does not make them weak, Arthur. In fact, mermaids are incredibly strong."

"I've heard that merfolk have the strength to submerge ships." The three of them looked to see Percival standing behind them, Leon stopping beside him, watching Merlin closely.

"That is true," he nodded, looking back over at the lake. "Hasn't happened in my lifetime, that I know of, anyway. But yes, we do have that strength." He seemed so nonchalant when he was speaking and Arthur had to shake his head for a moment. "Their mothers have them now so they'll deal with them."

"Their mothers?" Gwen asked, looking shocked for some reason and Merlin and Arthur looked at each other, confused. "How old are they?"

"Oh, nine, ten or so." Merlin shrugged and again Gwen's jaw dropped. "What?"

"But . . ." she looked out to where they had been again and Merlin raised an eyebrow. "They're huge!" Her hands flew to her mouth as Merlin let out a laugh. "I mean, they're not _huge_ but they're . . . they're . . ."

"Gwen," Merlin placed a hand on hers, still chuckling. "It's fine. They're actually the right size for their age. If you think about it, it's all relative. You think they're large for their age because a ten year old human is a certain average size. But to me, they look small. It's all relative to the creature."

"So they're going to get bigger?" Gwen asked and Merlin laughed again, grinning up at her.

"Of course they are Gwen." She looked down at him, relaxing when she saw the amusement in his eyes. "Like I said, it's all relative." He sighed at the confusion on her face. "Let's put it this way. If I could stand up with a tail, I'd tower over Percival." They all looked between Percival and Merlin, their eyes drifting to where his was resting in the shallows, only now just realising how long it actually was. Arthur appeared to have been right in his initial guessing of six or seven feet.

Merlin was huge!

"Anyway, they're going to get bigger but they'll stop the roughhousing as they do. They're growing quickly at that age and have a lot of energy." He shrugged, looking up at them lazily. "They'll calm down as they get older-"

He paused, looking down at the end of his tail for a moment, before lifting it up, revealing a giggling little mermaid with a deep green tail hanging on. She had a tight grip on the end of Merlin's tail and was giggling in elation as he twisted it round taking hold of her. She couldn't have been more than three or four years old and Arthur knew that his father wouldn't have seen her as that. He would have seen her as a potential threat that needed to be eradicate.

He watched with a grin as Merlin detached the little mermaid from his tail, wincing slightly as she released her grip, tucking his tail underneath him as she settled into him.

"I'd like you to meet Klara." He looked up at the others and they grinned down at the sight of her. She moved back into Merlin's chest as she caught sight of the humans above her, looking up at Merlin as he reassured her that it was alright and that they were friends.

Gwen sat down on the bank, taking off her boots and socks, rolling up her tights so that she wouldn't get them wet as she stepped into the lake, sitting down on the rock that Merlin was leaning against, looking down at the toddler mermaid in her friends' arms.

"She's adorable," she said softly to Merlin who nodded, grinning up at her. "Hi Klara," Gwen smiled down at her, giving her a small wave, causing the girl to look up at her curiously. "I'm Gwen."

"Hi," Gwen beamed when she heard the little voice, melodic and beautiful.

"Now," she looked up at Merlin who was watching her with a raised eyebrow, "where's your mother?" She turned and pointed out towards the lake and he rolled his eyes before she turned back around. "In the lake. Helpful."

"She's only little." Gwen reasoned and Merlin shook his head.

"That might be so," he looked down at Klara, a knowing expression on his face. "But she's big enough to know that she doesn't go to the surface without her mother or father around."

"But you're here," she argued and Merlin chuckled again.

"That may be but I am not one of your parents." She flushed gently, burying her head in his chest again and he chuckled. "You know not to swim away from them." He looked to the others. "Give me a minute. I've got to take her back to her parents."

They all nodded as he shifted out of the shallows, disappearing into the depths of the lake. Gwen couldn't help but smile at the image of Merlin and the little mermaid in his arms. They may have just had a glimpse of what was to be in Merlin's future. She had no doubt that he would settle down and most likely have little merfolk of his own someday. Probably just waiting for the right mermaid to come along.

He surfaced again a few minutes later, once again, leaning against the same rock, tucking his tail underneath him as he settled himself. Gwen smiled down at him, running her fingers through his hair gently as he looked up at her.

"You were good with her," she said softly and he shrugged. "I can imagine you with your own little ones someday." He let out a soft snort in response. "I really can."

"He's got to find a mermaid who'll put up with him first," Arthur laughed and Gwen shot him a look, shutting him up almost immediately. It didn't matter if he was the king or not, one look from the woman he loved was enough to stop him in his tracks.

Merlin let out a sigh, knowing they meant no harm with their words but at the same time wanting nothing more than to sink to the bottom of the lake and curl up at the thought of being with anyone other than Freya. He knew that she wouldn't want him to spend the rest of his life alone, especially considering, as a merman he could expect to live a very long time. Unless something decided to kill him first.

He took a deep breath, turning to face the visitors to the lake. "So, what brings you here today?" He asked and Gwen glanced up at Arthur, a concerned expression on her face. "What is it?"

"We're worried about you, Merlin." Gwen said softly and Merlin blinked in surprise, not having expected that. Surely they knew that the lake was the safest place for him.

"You're worried?" They nodded and he raised an eyebrow. "About me?"

"Yes," Arthur sighed, crouching down and tucking his cloak underneath him, sitting on the bank. He didn't go so far as Gwen had, her feet still in the water which was still quite warm in the shallows. He levelled Merlin with a serious look and Merlin realised that they were serious. "We are worried about you, Merlin?"

"Why?" The two of them blinked at him in surprise at his question and he shrugged. "I mean, not that I don't appreciate it but . . ."

"We know that you're powerful and we know that the lake has magic of its own," Arthur gestured towards the lake and Merlin nodded, "but we can't help it. I just keep thinking 'what if something happens' and I'm not there to help you?" He sighed, looking down at his friend who was watching him with an expression of concern and confusion. "I just can't help but worry that Morgana will find out where you are."

Merlin let out another snort and Arthur's brow furrowed in confusion. "Morgana already knows."

"What?" Both Merlin and Arthur looked to Gwen at her alarmed outburst but she paid them no notice, staring down at Merlin. "She already knows?"

"Mm-hm," he nodded and she gave him a look that clearly said 'well?' "She came to the lake about two days ago, absolutely furious, which was completely expected. I don't think she'll be coming back again."

"That's what you thought the last time you warned her." Arthur reasoned and Gwen nodded. Merlin noticed that Leon and Percival were looking down at him with concerned expressions as well. No doubt they were worried about what she could do now that she knew where and what he was.

"Oh, I know," Merlin looked between them his innocent expression turning into a devious smirk. "But this time I think she got the message."

"What did you do?" Percival asked, sitting down next to Arthur with Leon settling on the other side of Gwen.

"I just reminded her that no matter how powerful she believes she is, she is completely power _less_ when it comes to the power of merpeople." He grinned up at them, his eyes glinting dangerously. "I don't think she likes the water."

"How do- I don't want to know." Arthur held up his hands and Merlin chuckled, shaking his head.

"Look, I know you're worried but you don't need to be." Merlin shrugged and Arthur rolled his eyes at his friend.

"We just want to know that you're alright, Merlin." Gwen placed a hand on his shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze and he rested his own hand on hers. "We just worry about you being so far away from us."

"Well, it's not like I can live in the waterways underneath Camelot." He chuckled and she nodded, smiling. "I'm perfectly safe here, Gwen."

"I know. I just don't like you being so far away." She whispered and Merlin grinned up at her.

"We actually wanted to talk to you about something." Arthur told him and Merlin looked to him, questioning. "After you left Camelot, I spoke to Gaius. I knew that he had to have known about you." Merlin nodded. He knew that the old man would have been first on Arthur's list of people to talk to. Probably the only one on his list if he was honest. "I needed to know some things."

"Like what?"

"Like why would you come to Camelot?" Arthur chuckled and Merlin smirked, shrugging. "He told me that in essence you didn't have a choice in the matter. Yes, you may have chosen to give yourself legs and walk to Camelot but he told me that you were there because of destiny."

Merlin took a breath, pushing away from the rock a little, sinking in the water up to his nose as he mulled over what Arthur had just said. He knew that Merlin had been in Camelot because of destiny. What he didn't know was that his destiny included Arthur himself.

"He's right," he said softly, pushing himself out of the water a little. He glanced behind the knights into the treeline. Even though he couldn't see, hear or smell anything in the trees around the lake, he didn't want to talk about their shared destiny in the open. He glanced towards where the cave was, looking back up at Arthur. The king nodded, standing up as Merlin dived.

He swam quickly to the cave, settling on the bottom for a moment while he waited for Arthur and possibly the others to make it into the cave. He let out a sigh, pushing himself up and breaking the surface as he heard someone in the above ground entry to the cave. He only heard one set of footsteps and guessed that Arthur had come on his own.

He pulled himself up onto the floor of the cave, his tail dropping over onto the edge and resting in the water. He looked up to see Arthur making his way towards him, a concerned look on his face.

"What's the matter?" He asked, settling on the cave floor next to where Merlin was.

Merlin shook his head slowly, letting out a breath. "Gaius told you that I came to Camelot because of destiny . . . and he was right. It's important and not just to me. To a lot of people. It's too risky to chance anyone overhearing."

"But surely you know if someone was in the woods." Arthur reasoned and Merlin nodded.

"That's true but there's all kinds of magical ways for someone to overhear something out there."

"And they can't in here?" Arthur asked confused and Merlin shook his head.

"No because the cave is protected by the magic of the lake, whereas the shores and trees around the forest isn't." He explained and Arthur nodded in understanding.

"So . . . what's with your destiny then? And why would they choose a clotpole like you to accomplish it?" Arthur nudged Merlin on the shoulder playfully, earning a smile from the merman.

"That's my word," he muttered and Arthur shrugged, not really caring. "And it's not just my destiny, Arthur." He looked up at Arthur, all humour gone from his face. "It's _ours_."

"Ours?" Merlin nodded and Arthur looked down at him, silently demanding that he explain

"It's always been my destiny to protect you, Arthur." He sighed and Arthur raised an eyebrow at him. "Our destiny has been written and passed down for over a thousand years. It's a prophecy, Arthur. The prophecy of the Once and Future King and Emrys."

"And what does this prophecy say we're supposed to do?" Arthur sounded a little apprehensive at the thought of having his life, his existence mapped out for him since before he had been born. Merlin didn't know anything other than knowing his destiny. Ever since he had been able to understand, he had known what his destiny was, what fate had mapped out for him in his lifetime. There were times when he felt the weight of it, times like that moment when it was all too real.

"It says that we are to bring peace and prosperity to the lands, to unite the lands of Albion under one banner and . . ." he lowered his eyes, wondering how Arthur would react to the last part of the prophecy.

"And what?"

"And to bring magic back." He whispered, looking back up at Arthur who let out a stunned breath. "You will be the one to unite the kingdoms and rule over Albion, Arthur. And I will be there by your side helping you do it."

"They expect me to rule over _all_ of the kingdoms?" Arthur asked and Merlin nodded. "I've only just taken the throne of Camelot. I can't be expected to rule over _everything_."

"It is your destiny, Arthur." Merlin said softly and the king looked down at him, completely baffled at Merlin's complete nonchalance with the situation.

"How are you so calm about this?" He asked and Merlin shrugged.

"I've always known about my destiny, Arthur." He told him and the king let out a breath.

"How?"

"The druids have waited for Emrys . . . well, me . . . for a long time, Arthur. Somehow, I don't know how but they knew when I was born." He shrugged, shaking his head a little with a small smile. "They came to the lake after I was born and told my mother and the others who I was and who I was destined to be. I don't think they were expecting one of the main people in their most important prophecies to be a merman." He chuckled.

"I can imagine that was a shock." Arthur laughed and Merlin nodded, the cheeky grin that he was known for appearing on his face.

"Well, if you ever come across a druid, if he's still alive, with bite marks on his arm, that was me." He laughed and Arthur gave him a curious look. "Well, what did he expect when he asked to hold a baby merman? I mean, we eat meat."

"He can't been expecting that." Arthur chuckled again and Merlin shrugged, clearly not ashamed of something that had happened twenty years ago.

"Took quite a lot of coaxing for me to let him go apparently." He grinned and Arthur rolled his eyes. "I was a baby."

"So you've known since then?"

"Since I was old enough to understand, yes." Merlin looked up at Arthur who was clearly processing the information he had just been given. "I know it's a lot to take in, Arthur." The king nodded, looking at the pool of water in front of him. "You see why I didn't want to discuss it out in the open." Another nod from the king.

"You mentioned bringing back magic," Arthur looked down at the merman who nodded, watching him closely. "That's going to be the hardest part, Merlin. It's not going to be easy."

"I know." Merlin sighed, looking down at the rock underneath him.

Arthur knew that bringing back magic wouldn't be easy. There were many that supported his father's ways and would not be supportive of even the motion of repealing the laws. The council would object, he had no doubt but he would deal with that when it came. It would have to be done slowly, easing magic back in and allowing the people to come to terms with its existence within Camelot once more.

What Merlin wasn't aware of was that Arthur had already been forming plans to do just that. He wanted it to be a surprise for his friend. He wanted to be able to see Merlin's reaction to knowing that he was no longer illegal and persecuted within Camelot. He wanted to be the one that brought the news to his friend.

Didn't mean that he wasn't worried about it though.

"So . . . you managed to scare Morgana then, huh?" He shoved Merlin again who laughed, looking back up at the king.

"I did, indeed." The cheeky grin was back but Arthur also noticed the devilish glint in his eye. "She thought that because she had magic, she was safe from the lake. I just showed that that was not the case. And apart from the fact she's terrified of me . . . well, she's terrified of Emrys."

"Why is she terrified of Emrys?"

"Do you remember with . . . the Dorocha," he swallowed, pushing the pain at the memory of Lancelot's death away. "The woman on the Isle of the Blessed?" Arthur nodded. "She's the Cailleach. She told Morgana that the one called Emrys is her doom, so . . ." he trailed off and Arthur nodded, yet more information he needed to absorb.

Merlin smirked as he noticed the king's expression, knowing exactly how he felt.

Maybe he should have brought some of Gwaine's mead.

 **Something a little more mellow after all the threatening in the last chapter. I thought they could all use it.**


	14. Chapter 14

_**Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.**_

 _ **Sorry for the long wait for the update. Unfortunately I've been in and out of hospital recently and haven't been able to update.**_

 _ **More updates should be coming soon. :)**_

Resting on the bottom of the lake, away from the chatter of the rest of the lake, Merlin smiled to himself, slowly opening his eyes to look up at the sun shining through the water above him.

It had been a few weeks since Morgana had appeared at the lake and he hoped that it would be a long while before she made an appearance again. With any luck, she had taken his warning to heart and would not risk coming back anytime soon.

The only thing that could work against that would be that she now knew he knew of Emrys, the only one she feared. The one that she knew would be her doom.

He frowned slightly, his thoughts wandering as he turned onto his stomach and resting his head on his arms as he mulled over the information he had. He knew that Morgana had been told of Emrys by the Cailleach. It had been at the Isle of the Blessed that Morgana had learned of her fate at Emrys's hands and he knew she would do anything she could to find out information on him.

While he had no worries for himself or those in the lake, he knew that while he was here, Arthur and those he cared for in Camelot were in danger. He wouldn't put it past Morgana to attack them to get to him.

It was definitely something she would do.

He felt a ripple in the water and looked up to see his mother floating not too far above him, a small smile on her face as she settled on the lake bed just in front of him. "You have a lot on your mind."

He nodded, lifting his head up and resting his chin on his hand. She ran a hand though his hair, watching as it waved slightly in the movement of the water. He leaned into her hand, relishing in his mother's touch, still soaking it up as often as he could after the years he was not able to see her as often as he wanted. She smiled knowingly, brushing her lips across his forehead before leaving him alone with his thoughts once again.

As much as he wished he could confide in his family, they would not understand his attachment to those on land. They only knew of life in the lake and the surrounding rivers. They had no idea of what life on land was like.

Shaking his head, he pushed off of the bed of the lake and made for the surface. It took mere moments for him to break the surface, immediately feeling the warmth of the sun on his skin. He pulled himself up onto a rock, allowing the end of his tail to remain in the water rather than exert the effort into pulling it up onto the rock next to him. Arthur would have labelled him as lazy if he knew but Merlin wouldn't have cared.

He had been missing those in Camelot more and more over the last weeks. He hadn't seen them since they had come after Morgana's appearance and he couldn't blame them. He knew that Arthur was busy trying to cement himself in his position as king and he would need the support he could get. He had dispatched several merpeople to liaise with their kin in other kingdoms to keep an eye on what was happening with their own royals. He wanted to know as soon as possible if there were grumblings in the other kingdoms.

 _Emrys,_ he stiffened, his head snapping up at the voice in his head. His eyes flew to the forest surrounding the lake as he pushed himself up slightly, his tail tensing and curling up defensively next to him. _Emrys_.

 _Who are you?_ He pushed out with his mind, inhaling deeply and straining his ears. He could smell the humans in the forest and he could make out a small group of them some ways away. He determined that they were out of their earshot of the lake, reaching out to him with their minds.

 _My name is Iseldir, Emrys_ , the voice whispered once again and Merlin narrowed his eyes, the name not familiar to him.

 _What are you doing here?_

 _We have come to speak to you, Emrys. Though we do not wish to come to any harm._

 _That I cannot guarantee,_ Merlin responded honestly. While he could ensure that the others would not approach, if Merlin discovered they were dangerous, they would not leave unscathed.

 _We are peaceful, Emrys._

" _Neosie þu þa swaþu..."_ Melin muttered, his sight immediately leaping forward to his intended target, falling onto three figures in familiar robes. Merlin could have smacked himself. Of course they were druids. They were the only ones that addressed him as Emrys and he felt like an idiot for not realising straight away. _Very well,_ he affirmed in his mind, his vision returning to normal, _approach the lake but do so with caution._

"Merlin?" He turned his head to see Luka behind him, watching him warily. He knew that his posture screamed defensive and it was putting the other merman on edge. "What is it?"

"Druids," Merlin said softly. "They are not to be attacked. They know the dangers of the lake and must have come specifically to speak to me." Luka nodded, glancing at the edge of the trees before diving to spread Merlin's message.

Merlin's eyes did not falter as the three druids approached the water. They stopped by the lake's edge and removed their hoods, Merlin spying a triskelion on the back of the hand of the one in the centre.

"Emrys," he looked relieved when he spied the merman on the rock in front of them. "It has been a long time since I have seen you."

Merlin's eyes narrowed. Other than the druids he had met through the debacle with Morgana's magic and Mordred, he had not met any before. He tilted his head before sliding off the rock, submerging completely and he felt their concern spike as he left their sight. He emerged close to the waters' edge, once again settling on a rock nearer to them, watching as they took in his tail.

He also took the time to look them over, both with his eyes and his magic. The one that had spoken to him in his mind, Iseldir, an older druid, his hair silver and his eyes a sharp blue was clearly the one in charge. He stood with an authority that belied a chieftain of the Druids. While they were a peaceful people, there was still the need for an infrastructure.

He scanned the other two druids, both being younger than Iseldir, staring with a wonder at the merman in front of them, taking in his size and the way the skin of his human torso melded sleekly into the scales of his tail, the tinges of pink, green and blue appearing amongst the mass of gold when the muscles shifted, catching the sunlight.

The youngest of the three druids had never thought he would ever witness the sight that was the merfolk of the Lake of Avalon. He had heard of the beauty of the merfolk from a young age but along with those stories had come the warnings that they were deadly and to never approach the lake for fear of those that dwelled in its depths.

And seeing the creature in front of him, the muscular set of his shoulders, the power he could see in the tense arms, ready to move at a moment's notice, the stunning tail, curled out of the water and poised for action even as he knew the humans in front of him were not a threat to him. He was running on instinct at that moment and they knew, without him even making a move, that he was dangerous.

Merlin remained motionless, watching the druids in front of him. He could hear the musings of those behind him in the water. They were curious but Luka had delivered the message he had wanted passed on.

"Why are you here?" He asked, his voice soft but powerful and the young druid on the right started slightly, his brown eyes widening at the melodious voice coming from the creature in front of him. Merlin raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on his lips. "You look surprised to discover that I can speak your language." He asked the young man directly. He looked to be the same age as Merlin but there was no doubt that Merlin had seen more in his years that the druid in front of him.

"Forgive me, " his head bowed forward in respect towards Merlin, who allowed the smile to grow. He was playing with the man and finding a small amount of enjoyment out of it. In the months he had been back in the lake, he had lost some of the human decorum he had learned (though rarely used) while on land.

He waved a hand, stopping the young man in his tracks as he made to apologise for his assumption. Merlin's eyes drew back to Iseldir, seeing a look of fondness on the human's face that Merlin didn't quite understand.

"Once again, why are you here?" He asked, shifting on the rock, bringing his tail to curl around so his fins were level with his head. Even curled up as he was, he still posed a threatening image. "There must be a good reason for you to venture into such dangerous territory."

"Yes, Emrys," Iseldir sighed, his eyes losing the fond look they had held as Merlin brought them back to why they had felt the need to approach the lake. "There have been murmurs in the magical community." Merlin perked up hearing those words, wondering what the druids had heard. "Morgana is working toward something. Searching for something. And I fear that she means to do you harm."

"She knows that Emrys is to be her doom." Merlin responded, sighing gently. "Whether I am the doom of her goals to rule Camelot or to her life, is up to her. If she abandons her quest to seize the throne then she will have nothing to worry about from me. However, I do not see that happening." Iseldir nodded and the other two glanced between each other, still trying to reconcile the merman in front of them with the prophecies they had heard their entire lives. "Where is this information coming from?"

"It is coming from those in Helva, My Lord," the youngest one that had yet to speak responded. "Someone has been asking around about Emrys. Only those that are friendly with the druids have heard the name and they have sent word to our clans."

"Helva _has_ always been known as a haven for those with magic," Merlin mused, "however, Helva is a ways from Camelot, where she knows Emrys to be. Morgana knows that Emrys would not stray from Camelot, so she must be looking for someone that knows of his true identity."

"She will not find any help from those with ties to the druids," Iseldir confirmed and Merlin nodded his thanks. "There are few others who know of the prophecies."

"That will work to my advantage." Merlin murmured, a plan forming in his mind. "I thank you for this information. Morgana will find it hard finding allies within the magical community that know of Emrys. Please ensure that those within the druid clans do not speak of Emrys with outsiders. Even if they are not allied with Morgana, it will put them at risk to know too much."

"We shall ensure it," Iseldir nodded, the other two following suit.

Merlin's eyes moved to Iseldir's arm as he shifted, noticing shimmering white skin of a long-healed scar on his arm. His lips pulled into a grin as he took in the shape, realising where the human's earlier words of not seeing Merlin for a long time had come from. He had believed he had seen him from afar whilst he was in Camelot but it appeared he had been closer than he had previously thought.

"It was you," he said softly and Iseldir froze for a moment, taken off guard, "you were the brave young druid that held the infant merman all those years ago. Though you did not come out of it unscathed." Iseldir glanced at his arm, noticing the scar was visible to the merman in front of him. "I would apologise but in my defence, I was a baby and humans do smell nice."

"Even though that caused me a great deal of physical pain, I do not regret my request." Merlin now understood the fond look he had held in his eyes. He was remembering the infant he had held many years ago. "To be able to hold the babe that was central to our prophecies was an honour I will never forget or regret."

"Even if you ended up being mauled by said babe." Merlin smirked and the two younger druids looked at Iseldir in disbelief. He had always been secretive over where the scar on his arm had come from and the two older druids that had been with him had also held their tongues. They had always been diverted.

"I thank you for the information you have given me," Merlin sighed, slightly troubled by the words of the druids. "It will be very helpful in aiding against Morgana."

"We will be vigilant for any further information that may help you."

"Do not put yourselves in danger for that information. I do not want anyone getting harmed or killed on my behalf." Merlin's tone brooked no argument and the three of them nodded. Merlin nodded in response before submerging beneath the surface of the lake, leaving the druids on the edge. He kept an eye on them, ensuring they had left.

He settled on the lake bed once again, the words of the druids running through his mind. There were several options he had open to him now. He could leave her to her devices in Helva and remain in the lake, safe from her hold even though she knew he knew of Emrys. She had learned she was vulnerable around him and wouldn't come back until she was sure of her victory.

But he wouldn't be able to do that. He couldn't allow her to roam without knowing what she was doing. If he didn't try to find out as much information as he could and they were taken unawares by an attack once again, the blame could only be placed on him.

He shook his head, making a decision and pushing off the bed of the lake, letting out a shrill call to the lake, making his way to the usual cave.

"What is it, Merlin?" Karina asked, emerging next to him as the others filled the cave. "What did they want?"

"Morgana is searching for me, well, for Emrys," Merlin explained, "she is trying to find information and that could be dangerous if she manages to get the wrong person to talk. There are few who know of my true identity. And fewer still who will be willing to talk to Morgana."

"What will you do?" Hunith looked to her son, worrying about him as only a mother could.

"I must travel to Helva myself." Merlin looked around the group in front of him, knowing there were more still under the surface. "I will not place any of you in danger by asking you to go. There will also be a need to travel through the city itself to find out what I need to know and I am the only one capable."

The others nodded but Merlin could see Hunith was unimpressed with his plan. She didn't understand why he felt the need to travel to the very place a woman who wanted him dead was searching for him. He tried to explain as best he could but he knew his mother was unhappy. She would always worry about him, most powerful warlock on the Earth or not.

He set out the next morning, allowing his superior knowledge of the water ways throughout the various kingdoms to guide him. His mother had stopped him before he left, handing him a necklace she had been given by the very same druid that had visited when he was a babe. It was something he had given to her as a gift "for the young Emrys when he learns of his destiny" he had said. She had taken it and put it away, completely forgetting all about it until Iseldir had turned up the day before.

She had tied it around his neck, smiling as he looked down at it, the small Triskelion charm of the druids glistening under the water as it rested in between his collarbones.

He sighed as he had to stop due to humans fishing on the bank of the river he was in, unable to avoid them due to the clarity of the water. He mentally calculated and came to the conclusion that if he were to backtrack and take another route, he would add another three days onto his journey to the city. He settled in for a wait while the humans tried to catch their meal for the day.

He allowed himself to doze as he waited for them to move on, allowing himself to take the much needed rest he hadn't allowed himself since he had set off the day before. The humans stuck around for another few hours, catching around a dozen fish between them before they set off for the day.

It took Merlin a further day to reach the river that led down into the sea surrounding the city of Helva. The waterways into the city were plentiful due to it being surrounding by the sea with a single bridge connecting it to the mainland.

Spying guards stationed around the outside of the city, watching the water surrounding them, prepared for some kind of attack from the water, Merlin submerged, staying close the seabed and the cliffside as he swam, not wanting to be spotted. He knew that if they were to see a merman in the water there would be an uproar.

He surfaced on the outside edge of the island, close to resident's dwellings and catching sight of a young woman inside one of the houses. He sunk back down, letting out a low hum, calling to the young woman who could only have been a couple of years his junior. He smiled to himself as she emerged from the house and walked towards him, her eyes unfocused as she submitted to his call. She stopped at the water's edge and Merlin approached. She didn't falter as he emerged in front of him, still caught in the spell of his voice.

"I need to bring me some hooded, non-descript robes. Plain, no patterns, no embroidery. I need to blend in." She nodded, her eyes still unfocused as she turned and made her way back to the dwelling to fulfil his request, still under the spell of the song Merlin had weaved, temporarily ensnaring her mind for this purpose.

This was one skill he wouldn't be telling Arthur about.

He only had to wait a few minutes for her to return, carrying a set of light blue robes in her arms. She handed them to him and stood there, waiting for something else to do. He opened them out and smiled to himself, pleased with what she had brought him.

He dived back under the waves, letting out a low hum to break the spell he had cast over the girl. He felt the spell snap and her come back to her senses, confused as to why she was outside when the last thing she would remember would be standing inside her home.

He swam back towards the mainland, knowing that he would be questioned if he appeared out of nowhere. He had to be seen to be entering the city and leaving the same way. Finding a secluded area, he pulled the robes the girl had brought to him and opened them out on the rock in front of him.

" _Á_ _drúge,_ " he said softly, watching the material instantly dry. _"_ _Hyrþ_ _sé_ _sóþsegen._ _Áhelle sé_ _sóþcwide ansíen."_ He instantly felt the spell change him, his feet coming to rest on the ground in the water. He scrambled out into the hedge-line, muttering the spell to dry himself once again, not wanting to be caught in his current state.

He pulled the robes on, pleased to find that they fit rather well. The hem of the robes covered his feet so there wouldn't be any questions as to why he wasn't wearing any shoes, although from what he'd heard of Helva, no one would care either way.

He inhaled deeply before stepping out onto the road the led to the bridge, walking slowly to regain his balance and bearings in his human form. By this point, he had spent so long with his tail again, it was like learning to walk as he had done the first time.

He pulled his hood up, covering his face as he walked across, towards the city. The men standing guard outside the entrance to the city noticed him and looked as though they would make a move to stop him until they saw the pendant around his neck, letting him pass. He let out a small breath, thankful his mother had seen fit to search it out after so many years. He didn't want to use magic here unless he had to. He didn't want to bring too much attention to himself, lest he draw Morgana his way.

He wound his way through the bright and colourful streets, knowing his destination. There was a woman who resided in Helva, one that would be able to answer his questions and had the connections to stop talk of Emrys, no matter who asked.

The Crone.

She was well respected in the magical community and while Merlin had never needed her aid before, she would be invaluable to him now.

Ignoring the vendors trying to entice him to their stalls with colourful wares and artefacts, he headed towards the door that led to the woman he was looking for.

"I'm here to see the Crone," he stated softly, his voice holding an authority that made the man standing guard straighten up, his eyes narrowing slightly as he regarded the young druid in front of him. "I'm sure she's aware that I'm here."

He stepped aside and allowed Merlin to pass through the door, granting him entrance into the dwelling of the old woman. The room smelled heavily of incense, making Merlin wrinkle his sensitive nose at the sudden onslaught of the scent.

He didn't lower his hood as he made his way towards the woman, sat in a sturdy chair next to a large fire on the other side of the room. She turned her head to look at him, her wrinkled face showing no emotion but her aged eyes seeing the power emanating from the young man that had come to see her.

She had had a fair few dealings with magic users and had always been able to sense the depth and strength of their magic but she had never before sensed one such as his. Usually a user's magic was an extension of themselves, something they maintained and strengthened as one would a muscle to keep it strong but the magic of the young man that had entered her dwelling was different. She could sense that it was a part of his very being, like the air he breathed or the blood running through his veins. It was unlike any magic she had sensed before, the Old Religion mixed with something that wasn't quite human. She couldn't place the source of it, which troubled her.

"Come, young man," she gestured to the chair opposite her, "sit."

Merlin nodded, taking the seat she had motioned to. He lowered his hood, looking into the fire that was burning brightly.

"What is your name, young man?" She asked, drawing his gaze to her.

"My name is not important," his words were firm but respectful of the woman in front of him. She had many years of experience that he did not have and she also had enough influence with the magical peoples that he knew she could spread her word swiftly should she choose. "But the reason why I come is."

"And what reason is that?"

"Word has reached me that there is someone in Helva who has been enquiring over the warlock Emrys." Merlin's eyes never left those of the Crone, recognising the recognition in her eyes of the name. "Have they approached you?"

"Not yet," she shook her head, "but I suppose it is only a matter of time before they do."

"You know of the prophecies?" It was a redundant question, Merlin knew but he had to ask for clarification's sake, if nothing else.

"I do."

"Well, however it is, is looking for Emrys, they mean to do him harm," her eyes narrowed at the information he provided.

"The witch, Morgana," the name came out as a hiss and Merlin was surprised at the venom he heard. "I have heard tell of the witch. I have heard of the atrocities she has incited against the world. She will find no help here."

"She wishes to take the throne of Camelot and both you and I know that cannot happen if destiny is to come to pass." Merlin leaned forward and the Crone noticed the pendant around his neck.

"Why so interested in protecting the warlock, young druid?" She narrowed her eyes a little, the magic coming from the young man in front of her nothing like that of the many druids she had met in her life.

Merlin smiled at the woman, her tone not lost on him. "I never said I was a druid. I am friendly with the druids but not one myself. They gave me this pendant as a sign that I am welcome among the druids."

"Which is why you know of the prophecies."

"Actually, I learned of those from someone much older and who has seen much. He's very wise and he has helped me many times. He is the one that made me aware of the prophecies of Emrys and the Once and Future King." Merlin smiled slightly as Kilgarrah came to mind. "He can be trusted and wants nothing more than the prophecy to be fulfilled and Albion united."

"What is it you ask of me, young man?"

"I need you to use your reach," he rested his elbows on his knees regarding the woman in front of him. "Whether it is Morgana herself or someone in league with her, she wishes nothing but harm upon Emrys. She knows he is the one protecting Arthur Pendragon and while he is in the way, she will never reach her goal. I need to you to use your influence to stop people from talking with her."

"People will do as they wish," she advised wisely and Merlin nodded, knowing this first hand as he had often done so himself.

"I am aware," he felt his lips pull into the small cheeky smile that everyone in Camelot had loved. "But they also listen to you. If anyone could stop word of Emrys being spread to those that would do well not to learn of him, it would be you."

"Then I will do as you ask," she gave him a small smile as he nodded, a grateful smile on his face. He gave her a small respectful bow as he pulled his hood up and made for the door. "I will keep your secret, Emrys." He stopped, turning to face her as she slowly stood, straightening as much as she could in her old age. "Your magic is unlike anything I have ever sensed before. There are many tales surrounding Emrys that I have heard, of those I do not know which are true and I will not ask." Merlin was grateful for that, although still slightly wary of the woman knowing him for who he was. "But I know of what you and the King of Camelot are to achieve and if I can help that come to pass, I will play whatever part you ask of me."

"You have my thanks," Merlin gave her another small bow and was surprised when she reciprocated before he left.

Now he just had to make the three day journey back to the lake to deal with.


	15. Chapter 15

**_Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does._**

Arthur was restless as he walked through the castle. He hadn't been out farther than the training field in weeks and it was starting to affect him. He knew that his attitude was starting to affect his knights and Gwen was starting to lose patience with him as well. Arthur was not used to being cooped up as he was. As Prince, even Prince Regent he had been afforded the luxury of being able to go for a ride when he wanted, being able to go for a hunt when he felt like it. He had a semblance of freedom to do as he wished.

But as King, his ability to move and go out as he wanted had been stifled. He was constantly in council meetings and there were treaties to go over and more paperwork than he had ever seen. There were times when he wanted nothing more than to sneak out and disappear for a few days. But he couldn't do that to Camelot. His kingdom was the most important thing and it was the little things that kept it running smoothly.

"Sire!" He turned, seeing a messenger approaching quickly with a nervous look on his face. He stopped, bowing low and shaking slightly with the nerves of being in front of the king.

"Catch your breath," Arthur stated evenly, not reacting to the surprise on the young man's face. "What is the matter?"

"A message from Lord Almen to the east, Sire," he bowed again, his eyes not meeting that of the king, mindful of the fact that it was deemed disrespectful. "He states that a magical creature has been spotted near his estate, sire."

"What manner of creature?" Arthur was instantly alert. If there was something prowling around, posing a risk to the people of Camelot, he would need it taking care of.

"A merman, sire."

Arthur's eyebrows shot up. A merman? What on earth would a merman be doing so close to Lord Almen's estate? "A merman?"

"Yes, sire." The young man nodded again. "It was spotted by some of the servants of the estate. By the time the guards reached where he was, the creature was gone but Lord Almen thought it best to inform you that it had been spotted."

"Did it harm anyone?"

"Sire?"

"Was anyone harmed by the merman? Did it sing?" The young man shook his head, not having been told if anyone had been harmed by the creature. "Did they describe it?"

"No, sire." He shook his head again, having been given only the most immediate information and told to report to the king at once. Thankfully, the estate he dwelled at was less than half a day's ride from Camelot so he had made good time getting to the king. It had been by chance that he had run into the king in the corridor on the way to the council chambers rather than having to wait for the king to be summoned. Luck had been on his side.

"Thank you for informing me." Arthur sighed, thinking for a moment. "If the merman did not harm anyone and is no longer in the area, there is little we can do about it."

"There is nothing?"

"No," Arthur shook his head. "The merfolk are powerful magical creatures. Swords and sinew are useless against them, especially as they sing. They are powerful in the water and out of it. There is little that can be done but avoid them. It is likely that it was just passing through. If it is seen again, then we will look into what may be happening but at the moment, there isn't enough evidence that it was doing anything harmful. All that can be done is to avoid it if it is seen again."

"Sire," the messenger bowed again, a little disappointed but seeing where the king was coming from. They knew that merpeople existed and it wasn't completely ridiculous to think that they may be travelling between bodies of water. But they were dangerous and knew nothing but killing humans they came into contact with. That was what he had always been taught. The Lake of Avalon was over a day's ride from Lord Almen's estate and they never travelled in that direction.

"I know this is probably not what you wanted to hear not deliver back to Lord Almen but there is no sense in attacking the merfolk. The Lake of Avalon is deep and they know every inch of its depths. Attacking a body of water with no idea if you are hitting anything is a waste of time, resources and men." Arthur explained, sounding reasonable to the messenger's ears. "If more are spotted then we can look at investigating but for just one creature that has not harmed anyone, I cannot justify sending a force out."

"I will report your words to Lord Almen, sire." The young man bowed again.

"If there are further sightings, do not hesitate to inform me. Lord Almen must not try to take these creatures on himself." Arthur warned, "I have seen what they can do and they are not to be trifled with."

"I will report to him, Sire." Arthur nodded before turning away from the messenger, his mouth in a grim line as he walked to his chambers.

"Fetch Sirs Gwaine, Leon, Percival and Elyan. Have them go to the small council chambers." He told one of the guards who nodded and turned immediately to the knight's quarters. While he didn't think that Leon, Percival and Elyan would be hard to find, Gwaine may have been a little more difficult to track down. Although if one knew Gwaine, he would most likely be in one of the taverns in the lower town.

He sighed gently, making his way to the council chambers he had mentioned to the guard, requesting another to fetch Gaius to have him come to the same chambers.

It didn't take long for the knights and the physician to arrive. Gwaine looked slightly put out that he had been interrupted whilst flirting with one of the women working in the tavern. From what Arthur had heard, he flirted with her all the time and she humoured him while not really being interested. Gwaine either didn't seem to notice or care that she wasn't interested in him.

Arthur explained what the messenger had told him and the five of them looked at him, a mixture of shock and curiosity as to what he would do with the information.

"Well," Arthur smirked, lacing his fingers in front of him, "I am going to visit a certain scaled friend of ours at the lake." The knights looked at each other, smirking wondering what the King would have in store for their magical friend.

They made plans to leave in the morning, not long after sunrise. They wanted to have most of the day to spend at the lake. Gaius would also be joining them which would make Merlin happy. The old man didn't get enough chances to see the merman and he knew that the two of them missed the other. They had spent years living together.

Arthur had never really gotten an answer about what Merlin ate when he lived with Gaius. Both the merman and the physician were tight lipped, Gaius because it had taken him a long time to get used to and Merlin because he found it amusing to frustrate the King. He never had anything to eat when they had their picnics at the lake. They knew that he ate the wild animals they could get their hands on at the lake but they didn't want to think about whether he still ate human flesh.

Arthur had discovered that he had indulged when it came to the immortal army that served Morgana and Morgause but other than that, he had no idea.

And part of him didn't want to know, his stomach rolling at the thought.

It was early the next morning when they set out, Arthur having made the council aware that he would not be attending any meetings today and that he did not want any meetings taking place in his absence, essentially giving them the day off. They had grumbled about this decision but none of them outright opposing the order.

He smiled to himself as they rode at a casual yet steady pace, taking the usual route through the trees towards the lake. He would forever be grateful to Gaius for telling him this route. It was perfect for small groups to traverse, forming a single line and guiding their horses through the trees. He felt his spirits lifting as he heard Elyan and Gwaine joshing each other, winding each other up as per usual. He heard Leon and Percival engaged in quiet conversation, speaking lowly and laughing every so often. Gaius was quiet but a quick glance behind him allowed him the security that the physician was relaxed, seeming to relish in being out of the castle for the day. He had ensured that there was no one that needed immediate care before he left. Had there been, he would not have left them without his presence. Arthur had known he wanted to see Merlin more often but his duties didn't allow for frequent visits.

Arthur smiled as they broke through the trees surrounding the lake, the sun now high in the sky, making the surface shimmer and glisten as though it were covered in diamonds. Looking across the lake, no one would ever guess at the creatures that dwelled under its surface.

Arthur dismounted, along with the knights and Gaius, Elyan helping the older man regain his feet as he settled, his age showing. Percival and Gwaine tethered the horses, allowing them space to range as they grazed and Arthur headed towards the edge of the lake. He heard a shrill cry, recognising it as one of the merfolk in the lake, announcing their presence. They had come here often enough to be known by those in the lake and Arthur smiled at the comradery they had found with the magical creatures.

He had no doubt that Merlin was aware that they were there. He always seemed to know before they had even reached the lake's edge. According to Gaius, Merlin had been able to sense Arthur's presence for years, knowing when he was close, especially when he was in his true form.

They walked around the lake's edge, quickly finding Merlin lounging in the sun on the edge of the lake. It was strange to see him there as he usually preferred to settle on one of the large rocks the littered the lakes, leeching the warmth off the stone. But this time he was laying on one of the grassy banks, inspecting something in his hands, appearing totally absorbed in what was in front of him.

"Merlin?" Arthur was surprised when Merlin jumped, having not sensed their approach. Whatever he had been inspecting flew out of his hands, landing a few feet in front of him and Arthur reached it before he could. One thing Arthur had to admit that was he could definitely move faster on land than the merman could.

He lifted it up, seeing it was a pendant that was the same as the druid marks he had seen. It glistened in the sun and Arthur had to wonder where it had come from. He hoped that it wasn't a remnant of one of their victims.

"Arthur," he looked down to see Merlin in front of him, mostly out of the water, clearly wanting the pendant back.

Arthur on the other hand was completely mesmerised by Merlin's sheer _size_. While he had seen him out of the water plenty of times, he hadn't ever seen him completely stretched out as he was now. He tended to curl his tail round, making himself seem smaller than he was. He didn't know whether he did that consciously to make himself smaller and appear less threatening or whether it was due to being half fish and, as Gaius had told him, having a different way of conserving heat than humans did.

Merlin was right. Stretched out, he _was_ bigger than Percival.

"Where did you get it?" He asked, handing it back to Merlin, who managed to place it around his neck with his elbows on the ground. Skilful, Arthur had to admit.

"It was a gift from the druids." He explained. "They gave it to my mother for safe keeping when I was an infant. She forgot about it until they came to speak to me a week ago."

"What did they come to speak to you about?" Arthur wondered, smirking as Merlin raised an eyebrow and started to move himself back into the water.

"Ah, no ya don't!" Arthur blinked as Gwaine rushed past him, grabbing Merlin's arms and pulling him further out of the water.

"Gwaine!" Merlin yelped in surprise, his arms tensing as the knight pulled, making little leeway. "What are you doing?"

"Perce!" Gwaine yelled for the larger knight who was grinning at the spectacle in front of him. "Come help me!"

"No! Percival!" Merlin tried to wriggle backwards before the large knight reached him, unable to get any kind of grip to move properly while Gwaine had his arms held slightly captive. Merlin was strong, stronger than they knew but his lack of legs was working against him at that moment.

Percival grinned, grabbing Merlin around the torso and helping Gwaine, who let out a triumphant whoop as they pulled the struggling merman completely out of the water, dumping him about fifteen feet from the edge.

Arthur blinked, trying to make sense of what had just happened. Two of his knights had just managed to pull the enormous merman out of the water and he was now stranded on the shore. There was no way they were going to allow him to pass before they wanted him to. The only way he was going to get past them was to either use force or magic. He wouldn't want to do either, not wanting to risk harming the men.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Merlin seethed while Gwaine looked down at his smugly. "What made you think that pulling me onto the shore was going to do?"

"Makes you more involved," Gwaine shrugged and Merlin's jaw dropped, his expression entirely confused and Arthur felt the expression morphing on his own face.

"Merlin cannot be out of the water for too long, Sire," he turned to see Gaius at his shoulder, a serious expression on his face, "not in this form."

"What do you mean?"

"There is a reason he is usually either on the rocks with easy access to the water or partially submerged, Sire." Gaius explained as he walked over to the merman. "If his tail dries out too much, it can be detrimental."

Arthur looked at Merlin as he glared at the knights that had essentially stranded him on the land. He didn't doubt he could get himself back into the water without too much trouble, his frame masking his strength but he would need to pass Gwaine and Percival first. Gwaine, he had expected something like this from but he had not expected Percival to join in.

"He's _huge_ ," Elyan whispered as he stared at Merlin and Arthur had to agree. He was still stretched out from where Gwaine and Percival had unceremoniously dumped him on the grass. He was easily at least eleven feet long, his tail comprising of at least seven feet. The sun glistened off the water droplets on his skin and scales and Arthur had to admit that he was a beautiful sight. One that not many humans had seen.

That was offset by the clearly unhappy expression on his face. He didn't feel comfortable so far out from the water in his current form. He may have had the ability to turn himself human with a few uttered words but that would also leave him horribly exposed in a completely different way.

 _Not_ something Arthur wanted to think about.

"Why did you think that dumping him out of the water would be a good idea, Gwaine?" Arthur asked, walking over and kneeling behind Merlin, earning a grateful glance from the merman.

Gwaine shrugged before sitting down right across from the irate merman, ignoring the glare he was being given. Arthur sighed, shaking his head and looking back down at Merlin, noticing the twitches in his tail and watching how the muscles rippled as he curled it round in front of him. It always boggled Arthur's mind as he watched the tail seemingly bend in the wrong direction, the knowledge that there were no bones in his tail temporarily leaving his mind.

He blinked, shaking his head again, his brow furrowing as his eye caught something behind Merlin's ear. He tilted his head, gaining a better look at what he had seen, seeing four flaps of skin that travelled down the man's hairline. He reached out, running a finger over them, feeling the softness of the skin against his finger.

Merlin's reaction was instantaneous, jerking away, his head snapping round and fixing his eyes on Arthur and the hand that was still poised in mid-air.

"What are you doing?" He asked, shaking his head.

"You have _gills_!" Arthur was shocked to find out the additional part of Merlin's anatomy that he hadn't seen before.

"How else do you think I breathe underwater?" Merlin raised an eyebrow in question and Arthur blinked at him, utterly confused.

"How have I not noticed those before?"

"I didn't realise you were studying me so closely, Arthur," he smirked and Arthur rolled his eyes. "You've never seen them before because the spell to give me legs also gives me a _completely_ human appearance. They're still there but the spell masks them."

"I never realised before." Arthur murmured and Merlin rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"I went to great pains to hide myself from discovery, Arthur," Merlin sighed, resting his head on his hand. "Has a plus side though," he glanced at Arthur who had a confused expression on his face. "No one can drown me." He shrugged and Arthur shook his head. "Now, not that I'm unhappy to see you but did you have a _reason_ for coming here? Other than to annoy me and pull me out of the water, strand me on the bank of the lake and potentially leave me vulnerable?"

"You're hardly vulnerable, mate," Gwaine chuckled and Merlin rolled his eyes.

Gaius knelt down next to Arthur, running a hand down Merlin's tail and looking towards Gwaine. "If you're so adamant about him being on the shore, then you'll need to get some water from the lake."

"Why?"

"Because his tail is starting to dry out." Gaius stated and Merlin lay down completely, resting his chin on his arm and closing his eyes. "His tail drying out is dangerous and if you don't want to do him harm, then you will get some water from the lake or let him get back in it."

Gwaine immediately moved, finding a pot that they had brought with them. Merlin rolled his eyes, wanting to get back into the water but with Percival and Gwaine conspiring against him, he would have to use magic to do so. He didn't want to use magic against his friends, although, if they kept him from the water too long, he might have to.

"Are you going to answer my question?" Merlin looked back up to Arthur. "Did you have a reason for coming or just felt like escaping the castle and bothering me?"

"Actually, yes," Arthur nodded watching as Gaius poured water over his tail, forcing him onto his back, earning a protest from the merman. Arthur smirked at the indignant look on Merlin's face, shooting Arthur a look to say, "this is why I don't get out of the water too often" and Arthur chuckled. "Yesterday, a messenger came to Camelot to warn me that at one of the estates to the east, a merman had been spotted the day before."

"Which estate?" He asked, shifting back onto his side, clearly feeling less vulnerable in that position than he was on his back.

"Lord Almen,"

"Oops," Merlin winced at the realisation he had been spotted on his way back to the lake.

"So, it _was_ you?" Arthur asked and Merlin nodded. "What were you doing going up there?"

"I had some business to take care of in Helva." Merlin answered cryptically and Arthur raised an eyebrow. "You don't want Morgana finding out about me, do you?"

"It was to stop Morgana?"

"More to . . . disrupt her plans a little." He smirked and Arthur wondered what he had done. "Morgana had been asking those in Helva if they knew of Emrys. I put steps in place to stall her."

"Care to share?"

"If it becomes necessary." Merlin responded and Arthur grumbled, not liking that Merlin was keeping things close to his chest again. He thought they had gotten past that. "Don't give me that, Arthur. It's nothing for you to worry about."

"I still think that you should have told me, Merlin."

"I have many dealings with the magical community that you don't know about, Arthur." Merlin shot back. "There are many that know who I am but are not convinced that Camelot can be trusted with knowledge of who they are or where they are. I am working to build that trust but it's taking time." He levelled a look at Arthur that belied his identity as Emrys. "I can't betray their trust, Arthur. I will tell you about them when the time is right."

Arthur nodded. He knew a little of who Merlin was to the magical community but he didn't know enough to be able to question his judgement.

"Can I get back into the water now?" He asked seriously and Arthur noted that his tail was drying out again before nodding. "Thank you."

"Percival?" Arthur nodded towards Merlin, who looked slightly panicked.

Ignoring Gwaine's protests over the unspoken order from his king, Percival grabbed Merlin, who was also protesting the being forcibly moved by the huge knight. Arthur chuckled at Merlin's expression as Percival grabbed him and lifted him up. He could tell that Merlin was uncomfortable with the experience but seeing Gaius's amused but pleased expression, it was best to get him back in the water as quickly as possible.

Percival carried Merlin in what would be considered bridal style, ignoring the protesting merman as he walked. He didn't take him over to where he had been before Gwaine had grabbed him though. He walked over to where the shore raised and Arthur grinned as he realised what the knight was doing. Merlin quickly realised as well and increased his wriggling in the knight's grip. Arthur had to admit, Percival must have had a strong grip on Merlin not to drop him and he _had_ to have immense strength to carry him like that in the first place.

Arthur couldn't help but follow, steering clear of Merlin's tail as he struggled against the knight, reaching the edge just as Percival dropped him over. Merlin let out a yelp as Percival's grip disappeared beneath him, righting himself just as he hit the surface of the water. He turned himself the right way up, glad Percival had found a part of the lake that dropped steeply. If he done that about three feet to the right, it would have been quite painful for the merman and he would have been even more aggravated than he already was.

Merlin could see both Arthur and Percival at the edge of the ledge Percival had just dropped him off, both laughing as they stood there. "Stefnung," he said clearly, knowing that his eyes shone as gold as his tail at the word. He smirked as the two of them started as the ground shifted beneath them. He grinned as they slid off the ledge and he moved quickly as they both let out a yell and plummeted into the water where he had just been.

They both floated for a second and he smirked at them, raising an eyebrow before swimming past. He felt a hand wrap around his tail and turned back to see Arthur smirking as much as he could without letting water into his mouth, gripping his tail just above his fins. The only part of his tail he could wrap his hand around completely.

Oh, Arthur wanted to play, did he?

Merlin shifted but Arthur didn't relax his grip, his other hand coming forward to touch his fins, running his fingers across them gently. Merlin raised an eyebrow, wondering at the king's inspection.

He moved again and Arthur's grip tightened again. He was _not_ willing to let the merman go right now. Sensing the challenge, Merlin moved backwards, taking the king with him. He turned, sensing Arthur's eyes on him as he dived and he shook his head, wondering what Arthur was thinking. He didn't move too quickly, not wanting to hurt Arthur by jarring his arms. He had a solid gip on his tail that was bordering on uncomfortable but if Arthur wanted to play then he'd get a merman's version of play.

Merlin went as deep as he could with Arthur attached to him, twisting and turning as he moved, impressed that the king was hanging on. Sensing Arthur's grip tightening, Merlin made his way to the surface, assuming that Arthur needed air. Stopping about five feet from the surface, Merlin smiled deviously as he swung his tail around towards the surface, causing Arthur to go flying, losing his grip on the merman and breaking the surface. He laughed as the king fell back into the water, moving towards the shoreline.

He laughed as he broke the surface, seeing Arthur sputtering a little way away. The knights were all gawking as they watched. They had seen Percival and Arthur fall into the water and while Percival surfaced almost immediately and came to the shore, Arthur hadn't and neither had Merlin after Percival had dropped him over the edge.

They had been worried at the amount of time Arthur had been in the water before he literally flew out of the water. He shot out of the water and dropped almost immediately. He breached the surface, sputtering and Merlin surfaced not too far away, much more calmly that Arthur had, laughing at the king.

Merlin went under the surface again, circling around Arthur as he floated, grabbing his arm and pulling him along in the water, until they got to where Arthur could walk towards the shore. Arthur quickly walked onto the shore shaking his hair, trying to wring the water out of his clothes as Merlin chuckled, floating nearby. He didn't get close to the edge again, not wanting to risk being yanked out again. While he would be prepared for it, it would not be fun.

"What the hell did you do that for?" Arthur growled, glaring at the merman.

"Payback," Merlin shrugged and Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Payback for what? Percival, I can understand," he gestured towards the knight who let out a noise of protest, "he helped Gwaine in the first place and dropped you back into the water. But what did _I_ do?"

"You laughed," Merlin stated simply, sounding slightly smug.

"So why haven't you done anything to Gwaine?" Arthur grumbled, still trying to wring out his clothes. Merlin rolled his eyes and muttered something Arthur didn't catch but his eyes glowing brilliant gold and Arthur's clothes let off a cloud of steam, instantly dry. Percival let out a yelp and Arthur noted his clothes doing the same thing.

"You're welcome and I didn't get Gwaine because he wasn't anywhere close to the water." Merlin stated simply. "But you make it sound like I don't have _anything_ planned for Gwaine."

"Hey!" The drunkard knight protested and Merlin levelled him with a stare that would chill the bravest of men.

"You pulled me out of the water, stranded me on the bank and did nothing when I needed to go back _into_ the water," Merlin raised his eyebrow and smirked at the knight as he gulped.

"Best watch your back," Elyan clapped Gwaine on the back and he looked to the other knight.

Arthur sat down, noting that while Merlin came closer to the bank, resting his arms on the land, the majority of him was still in the water. He wasn't taking any chances again. Arthur flexed his hand, remembering the feel of Merlin's tail in his grip. The way the muscles had moved underneath his hand as he twisted and turned in the water. He didn't think any other human had seen underneath the surface of the lake and he felt a sense of awe that he had just experienced.

"Is that what it's every time?" He asked Merlin looked at him, confused. "Under the surface?"

"Well, I see it differently from you but yes," Merlin smiled, knowing Arthur would be a little overwhelmed.

Arthur shook his head, settling back down on the grass, grabbing some of the food that Gaius had had prepared for the day. He had known that they would be spending majority of the day at the lake so had sent an order for them down to the kitchens.

Merlin watched them go as they mounted their horses and made their way back to Camelot, feeling a little sad as they left. He hated watching them go, knowing that he couldn't go with them.

He drifted down into the water, heading towards the cave he shared with his mother, settling into his usual sleeping place and closing his eyes. He had heard the worried voices when he had been taken out of the water by the knights and then dumped back in. They had wondered what was happening, even though he had ensured them he was okay.

He didn't feel as though had gotten much rest when he was jolted awake by an uneasy feeling travelling through him. It was like a chilled shiver, unlike anything he'd felt before. It wasn't the same as the Dorocha but the dread Merlin felt hit him in the same way.

He glanced towards his mother, noting that she was still asleep before slipping out and towards the surface. He slowly breached the surface in the centre of the lake, not wanting to be too close to the edges, away from any potential threats. His enhanced vision in the dark didn't pick anything up as he floated there. His ears picked up nothing but the uneasy feeling didn't leave him.

He closed his eyes, sending out a web of magic, sending it spiralling out over the expanse of the lake and onto the bank. His eyes snapped open as his magic brushed against and recoiled from something foul lurking not far from the lake. The magic felt oily and slick and _wrong_ and he felt his lips curling back from his teeth, a hiss escaping this throat as he stared in the direction he had felt the magic, knowing that there was _something_ there but not able to see it.

He felt the magic roiling in the forest, focusing on him. Merlin let out what could only be specified as a warning screech, the pitch reaching such a height that humans would not be able to pick it up. As soon as the sound reached the source of the magic, it recoiled and fled.

Merlin stayed atop the surface for a while longer, feeling the others that had been awoken by his screech, wondering what that had been.

He would investigate further in the morning.


End file.
